The Captain's Journal (Assassin's Creed: Rogue) A Shay Cormac fanfic
by bryannaakins560
Summary: Elizabythe Freya should have died in the mutiny on board her father's ship... Left for dead in the freezing cold and snow, the Morrigan passes by and Captain Shay Patrick Cormac rescues the mysterious woman and brings her aboard. Unbeknownst to him, their fates were soon going to be intertwined due to what her Father left behind for her on board the Siren's Wrath...
1. The Captain's Journal CAST

CAST

Elizabythe Freya - a mix between Penelope cruz and emma rossum

Sera Freya - a mix between emilie de ravin and emilia clark

Gideon - Sir Anthony Hopkins

Anton - Tommy Lee Jones

Dorothea - Helen Mirren

Geoffrey - Jeremy Irons

Allistair and Emily - Gerard Butler and Charlize Theron/Michelle Pfeiffer mix

Hunter Freya - Jamie Dornan

Elizabythe's Uncle and Aunt - Lena Headey and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau


	2. Captain's Journal Entry 1 Chapter 1

Prologue

Captain's Journal Entry

1

I am running out of time, and blood. My fire's dimming fast with the arctic winds and the dense snow around me. I need to find a way to get some help before I either die from the cold or die from losing too much blood from my skirmish aboard my ship. Aside from my cuts, I now have a painfully beaten leg and a broken arm to worry about. James, that two-faced bastard….

The man I trusted with my life stabbed me in the back, turned me own crew against me, beat me within an inch of my death and left me for dead, taking my father's man-of-war with them. My only hope now is to find my close friend, Seraphine and stepbrother, Hunter, in New York….

At least they didn't get my father's heirloom. Or my mother's necklace. At least I know they'll always be with me.

Getting woozy suddenly. Don't know when I'll be writing again.

My name is Elizabythe Annabell Freya.

This may be my last entry….

Chapter 1

After helping Christopher Gist get out of a sticky situation, he was able to get the Morrigan back along with Gist's aid. He got Shay a new crew for his ship and elected himself as Captain Cormac's first mate. Together, Shay, Gist and their new able-bodied crew set off for Albany, New York, to meet with Colonel Monro. It would be a long journey for the Morrigan and her new captain.

After a few weeks go by, it's the beginning of February when they're coming upon the northern Atlantic lands Newfoundland, Greenland and Nova Scotia. After that, it wouldn't be long before they arrived in New York.

But their voyage was brought to a halt when they noticed an unusual sight ahead on the ship's starboard (right) side of the bow (front of ship).

"Master Cormac!"

"What is it, Gist?" Shay asked.

"There's something on the shore, Master Cormac."

Before he could get a better look with his telescope, he heard one of his men give a frantic yell. "It's a woman, Captain! There's a woman off the starboard side!"

As a few other men stopped and looked off to the right, they, too, became frenzied and panicked. The man in the crow's nest alerted his captain.

Shay finally saw the unconscious lass near her pile of burnt wood and belongings through his spyglass. "Avast, men. STOP THIS VESSEL! Bring the lass aboard the Morrigan!"

"AYE-AYE!"

Gist ordered the men to stop the ship by dropping the anchor. He and a few of the men prepared the small boat on board and rowed towards the shore frozen over with snow and ice. where the lady was laying. Christopher Gist carried the woman, laid her into the small boat and the deckhands rowed hastily back to the Shay's ship, prompting the others to let down the rope ladder for the men and Gist carefully got the woman on board the Morrigan where Shay was waiting for him.

The woman's belongings were set aside for later. One of the crew prepared a bundle to make for a quick pillow and Gist gently lowered her down in front of the helm. Shay kneeled on the woman's right side while Gist was on her left side, lifting her up with his arm and checking for her pulse.

"She's still alive, Shay." Gist breathed a sigh of relief. "Still breathing, too."

"What the hell happened to her?" Shay asked his first mate.

"Beats me. She's cold as death. Her whole body's stiff as a board."

"Get the doctor, Christopher; bring him to my quarters." Shay picked up the frozen woman in his arms. "This lass needs to get warmed up, it's too cold down below where the doctor is. If she isn't given any warmth soon, she'll die."

After walking down the small flight of stairs and pushing his door open, he hurried and set the girl down on his bed while getting several blankets on top of her and got a few oil lamps and candles around his bedside.

Now in proper light, the petrified captain could see how critical her condition was. Her lips were turning a darker shade of red. Her hair and eyebrows had snow and frost stuck in them. Her skin looked so pale and lifeless. Her cheeks wouldn't move with his thumb as he brushed it across them.

Before he could sit down, the doctor rushed into his room, along with his supplies, and quickly shut the cold out from the captain's quarters.

"I came as fast as I could, Captain Cormac." The doctor said, panting.

"This woman is in bad shape, sir," Shay explained. "She's as cold as death, jus' please take care of her. We don't need a lass dyin' aboard my ship."

"Right away, sir. If you could have a seat anywhere…."

As the agonizing seconds bled into minutes, the deck of the ship fell deathly silent. Gist and Shay did not speak a word as the doctor assessed his patient. Shallow, hoarse breaths could be heard along with occasional, drowsy whimpers. He could tell she had been seriously hurt when he laid a hand on her leg, making the woman groan through her gritted teeth.

"Don't touch there, sir." The doctor warned him. "I fear she may have a broken leg."

The captain nodded slowly and turned his attention to the woman's face. It will be okay, lass; you're safe now. You're in good hands.

Shay watched on as the doctor put his ear to her chest and mouth, monitoring her breathing and heartbeat. Finally, he stopped and got his stuff packed, causing Shay to get up from his seat on the bed.

"I am all done with her, Captain."

"Will she survive?" Shay asked him.

"She is very, very weak. The cold has set in, that I know for a fact. She's also been in a serious fight, this was before she was left for dead out in the snow."

"Is she sick, doctor?" Gist asked as Shay glanced at him and back at the doctor. "Her breathing don't sound too great."

"She has pneumonia, maybe influenza."

"So what can we do to help make her healthy again?" Gist asked.

"I went ahead and tended to her cuts, pistol wounds and broken leg. If she is going to get better again, she needs a lot o' warmth. Lots. My colleague has prepared me a myriad of herbal medicine that should help with our lady here."

"Thank you for your help, sir." Shay shook his hand.

"My pleasure, captain."

The doctor left him with his most common medicines and herbal oils for pain, soothing her cuts and her cold she was battling. He kept the remedies in a drawer in his bedside desk.

"Gist, I need your help to take over the Morrigan. I will take charge when I can and when I cannot, I need you to sail her for me; will you do that?"

"Of course, Shay….And don't worry too much about our woman here. A little warmth; some tender-loving care from you, and she'll be healthy again in no time."

"Thanks, Gist." Shay muttered. "For now, take over my ship. Reassure the crew all is well."

"Straightaway…but what're we going to do for our lady for now? She needs more warmth than this."

"I know, her clothes are cold an' wet also. These blankets can only do so much for the poor lass…Gist, alert me the second we come across some dry land. She needs a fire made for her an' she needs it soon."

"Aye, Captain."

Now that everything was taken care of for the moment, Shay got undressed and into his everyday clothes. He spent his spare time looking over the remedies the doctor gave him, one of them being the parts of the poppy flower. An oil from the seeds used for pain was very potent; a tag on the bottle read boldly: HANDLE WITH CARE. USE SPARINGLY. The large decanter the doctor gave him was a mixture of willow bark, licorice root, chamomile, oulang, peppermint, ginger with a hint of rum/whiskey to help warm the body up. He read that it should be 2 cups 3 times daily. Lavender oil was for sleep. Another bottle for her fever that may or may not arise.

His medicine reading was interrupted when he felt his bed tremble and shake. He looked to his side and saw the woman start to shake and shiver in her sleep. Shay got the herbal tea/whiskey drink and felt the woman's forehead; she was still cold as ever. He then came up with an idea to stop her chills. He fetched a rag, folded it and held it around the oil lamp for a long moment before laying it on the woman's forehead.

"I'm here, lass. I'm here for you…."

After a long minute, he heard a soft moan. Her shivering stopped and her shallow breaths continued. Then he saw her shivering again. Shay thought to himself, I need to get those wet clothes off her. She needs to dry out….

Even though he wanted her to have the decency of keeping her clothes on her body, it was the wet clothes that was preventing her from getting well. He knew it needed to be done.

He took all the blankets off her and started with taking off her torn, bloody, soggy shirt. He tossed it aside and worked on removing her brassiere; luckily, it unhooked in the front. He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes for a long moment. He slowly removed her pants, gently lifting her broken leg while doing so. Then he easily removed her sock and heeled boots.

He had a naked woman on his bed. He averted his eyes for as long as he could until he looked back and stared at every single cut on her body, fresh or scarred over. Now, he was certain she could pull through; she was a fighter.

"You have certainly been through a lot, milady. I am surprised."

He found a slip dress in an old dresser he had set aside for guests. He was able to get her dressed into some warm, dry clothes and layered in blankets again. He threw the wet garments and shoes to the side and got himself ready to get some shut-eye. He tucked himself in under the blankets, his body turned towards the sleeping woman. Then he slowly, and reluctantly, fell asleep for the night.


	3. Chapter 2 and 3

Chapter 2

In the middle of the night, Shay woke abruptly to a rapid knock on his door. "Master Cormac! Open the door!"

He quickly and quietly rushed to the door to unlock it.

"SHUSH! She's sleeping," He hissed.

"We found a place you can help make a fire for the lady."

The woman didn't move a muscle, despite Christopher Gist's loud voice and disruptive knocking. Shay glanced quickly at her then at his first mate.

"That's great news, my friend. Now help me get us to shore."

As the 2 of them lowered the woman into the small boat, Shay gathered his things and rowed the boat to the small bit of land they had come across.

Shay Cormac, with the woman in his arms, stepped into the shallow water and set her down on the grass while he got some sand in a pile, then wood surrounded by large rocks. Shay used some of his flask of rum to fuel the small fire and make it larger. He set up his tent and set up a spot in front of the fire.

Shay got out the tea/alcohol blend and sat up the cold woman as she laid in his arms against his chest. He gently lifted his cup and touched the tea to her lips. She did not move. She was just moving her head slowly back and forth, ignoring the effort Shay was making to give the woman her medicine.

"Come on…drink. You need to get better…come on. Please. Please, lass."

After he nearly spilled the tea on her slip dress, he decided to try again tomorrow. "She is not entirely awake yet…but as long as her heart beats, as long as she draws breath, I will keep trying to help her. I have to. I MUST."

After falling asleep next to the fire for a few hours, he moved her into his tent. The fire was helping somewhat, but Shay knew it wasn't enough. So he did the only thing he could do now. He gently rolled her on her good side and wrapped his arms and legs around her, sacrificing his warmth to heat up the woman's frail body. Soon afterwards, he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 3

The Next Morning….

Shay woke up early to the sound of water splashing outside. Grabbing his pistols, he slowly looked outside the tent, only to find Gist arriving on shore with the rescue boat.

"Good mornin', Master Cormac."

"Oh, Christopher, it's jus' you," Shay set his pistols down by the firewood. "Thought you might've been-"

"An assassin? Robber? French Army soldier?"

"Somethin' like that."

Gist chuckled at his captain. "So, how's the lovely lady holdin' up?"

Shay smiled and sighed happily. "Much better now. She's all warmed up now. She's still sleeping in my tent, though."

Gist looked a bit taken away. "Oh, really? You slept with the lady then?"

"Wasn't going to leave her out here in the open for someone to attack the poor lass. B'sides, the fire could only do so much."

"It was a bit cold an' windy las' night, wasn't it, Shay?"

"The more warmth she has, the faster she will recover."

As Shay and Gist prepared an early meal on the open fire, Shay felt the need to bring up the woman's injuries to his first mate.

"Gist, I cannot help but feel concern for the lass we rescued."

"You have every right to be, Captain."

"I had to take off her wet clothes last night to help dry her off and get her into somethin' dry. Then I saw them."

"You saw what?"

"Her body." Shay's voice became uneasy and tense. "Her naked body had cuts. Stab wounds. Scars everywhere. What could she have gone through before we found her?"

"What if she's a sailor, like us? Maybe even got a ship of her own?"

"Well, I know now she's capable of holding her own in a fight."

"Once the lovely lady's up an' about, we'll get our answers."

Shay went ahead and brought the woman close to the campfire. He told Gist to bring the medicines and they both rubbed her cuts to disinfect them. Shay rubbed the congestion blend just above her ample bosom to help soothe her throat and her breathing.

The delicate pistol wounds they saved for last.

"Gist, unwrap her leg for me," Shay said, preparing a rag with the disinfecting blend and poppy oil.

Once the hole on her leg was exposed, Shay took a deep breath.

"Hold her leg steady."

Gist held her right thigh firmly with both hands as Shay began to rub her wound clean. Her breathing became more prominent and scratchy as she let out painful moans and growls.

"It's okay, lass. It's okay. Jus' hold on." Shay finished as quickly as he could while he glanced at the woman that had tears dripping from her eyes. Once he was done, he wrapped her leg up again and did the same with her shoulder.

"Hey, Shay. Why don't 'ya 'ave her on deck? The warm sun will do her some good, wont it?"

"I like the sound of that."

Gist and Shay went and packed up the camp and took the woman with them back to the Morrigan. At the back of the helm, Shay had prepared a blanket with a bundled pillow for her to rest on while warming up in the sunlight. Shay had his crew pull up the anchor and set sail for Albany.

After about an hour of sailing, the wind stopped again, so Gist took the helm and Shay sat beside the lady as she slept. It seemed as though nothing would wake the girl until he had placed a hand on her forehead, causing her to moan. Then, a bit of good news arose: he saw her take a long, deep breath and exhale slowly. Her breathing was not shallow anymore. It sounded hoarse and rough, but at least she was breathing better.

"Thank God, she's getting better…" Shay muttered.

"Ev'rything alright, Captain?"

"Better than alright." Shay said. "She took a deep breath for us."

"She's comin' outta this, Master Cormac, just like I told 'ya so."

Shay chuckled. "Tha's right."

Gist couldn't hold in the excitement he shared with his captain. "You hear that, men?! Our lovely lady's almost better!"

They all shouted triumphantly as they worked on the ship.

The doctor paid Shay and the woman another visit in the captain's quarters and he reassessed her condition.

"I heard the lady took a deep breath for us. That's very good news."

"Yes, doc, it is."

"Has she been drinking the tea I gave 'ya?"

"Unfortunately not." Shay crossed his arms. "She's been too weak an sleepy to do so."

"Aw, well, that's a shame. Be sure to try again once she wakes up, Captain Cormac."

"I will, sir."

"Well, then, I shall head back to my quarters below deck. Call me if you have any concerns or questions for me."

"Thank you, sir."


	4. Chapter 4 Captain's Journal Entry 2

Chapter 4

The woman was fast asleep in Shay's bed while he was on deck at the helm. Her breathing became more labored and frantic from the nightmare she was having. Whimpers and moans weren't loud enough to be heard by Shay and Gist. Her body began to twitch, then she abruptly awoke, groggy and confused.

"We are getting close to Albany, Captain!" A deckhand shouted.

"Finally, we're almost there." Shay sighed. "Gist, take the helm. I'm going to check on the lass, see if she's woke up yet."

"Aye, sir…"

Elizabythe's POV

I opened my eyes slowly, dreading there may be bright sunlight. But there were only a few candles and oil lamps. I was lying in a very cozy, soft bed with 3 blankets on top of me. I must have been cared for pretty well. I am sweating up a storm. My vision was fuzzy and clouded, someone misplaced my glasses. Dammit all!

I tried sitting up in this bed, only to be in utter pain. My pistol wounds, a broken leg, cuts everywhere and my body beaten to a pulp and left for dead out in the cold arctic snow. I need help…guess I will wait until someone comes in….

I'll just lay here for awhile…

I heard the door open slowly. I squinted enough to make it look like I was still sleeping. I could see a man, tall and slim build in dark blue or black garments. He slowly closed the door and crept towards the bed in light footsteps. I saw his form becoming less fuzzy out of the corner of my eye, so I slowly turned my head to the right to look at him.

He was fair-skinned with dark hair. Couldn't make out his face. So I made hand gestures, hoping he would get the message. Then I heard his deep, smooth voice.

"You need your glasses?"

I nodded twice.

He looked around swiftly and went somewhere to the left of the bed and picked something up. He came over, unfolded my glasses and slowly put them over my eyes. I widened my eyes as much as I could. He had very striking features. Then, he smiled charmingly at me.

"Welcome back, lass." He doesn't sound like he's from around here. "We nearly lost you."

I tried showing a weak smile despite my horrible pain I was in. He took my hand and put his other free arm around my back and sat me upright in his bed. Then he sat next to me at the headboard of his bed and wiped my face with what felt like a cloth towel. I didn't blame him, I hated feeling sweat on my skin. He set the towel aside; I just looked to the side and squinted because the light from a large candle gave me a headache when it shined in my eyes.

"Wow…."

I looked at him and cocked my head. What was he saying, "Wow" about?

"You've-You have very pretty eyes."

I closed my eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed. I got that compliment from nearly everyone I met. I felt my cheeks get warm. Great, the captain made me blush. He flashed another smile at me, but it soon vanished when I started to cough harshly, making my throat drier and more painful.

I saw him grab a pitcher and pour something into a cup. My eyes widened and inhaled sharply. What was in it? Well, not poison; he would have done away with me already or just left me out there to die.

He held the small cup near my lips. "Here, lass, drink this…"

I made my face look concerned to communicate my hesitation.

"Please, darling. It'll help you get better…."

I stared at the sword and dagger-looking weapon on his belt and the tip of his pistols' barrels behind him. I forced myself to shake and tremble; since I couldn't talk at the moment, I had to convey my hesitant mood somehow.

"I won't hurt you…I promise. Don't be afraid."

Then, he put the cup down, unsheathed his sword and dagger and tossed them aside, flinching as I heard them clatter on the wooden floor. He took his pistols from behind his back and threw them behind him. No weapons, no threats towards me. I exhaled slowly, calming myself.

The captain took the cup again. "Drink this….Please."

The cup was touching my lips. I smelled a hint of liquor in the herbal tea mixture. My father did always say a little liquor never hurt anyone….

I slowly parted my lips and pressed them to the cup. I could tell there was a hint of sugar in it because of it being bittersweet, but it tasted pretty good. Then, it hit me; the liquor was whiskey to help numb my throat. I drank the last sip of the tea and gave a breath of relief.

The captain had a look of triumph and contentment about him. "There 'ya go. Just 2 more cups left…."

After quickly drinking the second and last cups of tea, he set it down on the bedside table. "Once we've finished off this tea, you're all done."

Then I heard a rapid knocking on the wooden door. Then it opened and I saw a tall man with brownish orange hair, a beard, mustache and a flattened out slouch hat.

"Well, well, Shay. She finally woke up." So the captain's name was Shay…

"Thank God she has pulled through, Gist. She just finished the doctor's tea."

"That's excellent news, Captain." So that one's name is Gist. Must be first mate to Captain Shay. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss."

I nodded once and flashed a little smile.

"I'll be at the helm should you need me, Capt-"

I noticed that my 2 large sling bags were nowhere to be found, so I touched Shay's arm to get his attention.

"What is it…?"

I mouthed the words, "Where are my bags" and put my arms over one shoulder to mimic my bags I carried. I turned my back sideways also.

"Mister Gist, I think she's tryin' tell us somethin'."

I looked around the room, anything that resembled a bag or pack and found one on his desk. I pointed to it, then to me and mimicked the sling motion again.

"I believe she is asking for her belongings, Captain." Gist guessed right, so I nodded vigorously and gave him two thumbs up.

"Where did we store her bags?" Shay asked.

"Below deck somewhere in the doctor's quarters, said he would hold them for safekeeping."

I moved my arms in a "come here" motion, asking them to bring my stuff here to Shay's quarters.

"Go get 'em, then." Shay shooed him away. "Quickly."

Once he brought them back and Shay set them on the bed, I opened one and started to go through it. One had my specially made Templar outfit my father had made me along with all my weapons. My sword, perfectly wrapped and stowed away; my dagger with my carved initials; my 2 bracers, one with a hidden blade and gun and the other with a hidden blade and grappling hook; a few throwing knives; my hatchet; and my old, trusty journal I last wrote in the day of the mutiny. But there was one thing left that was…missing.

Shay was holding my bow and quiver full of arrows, but I gasped hoarsely when I saw my bow's string had snapped. I motioned to him and he set the broken bow down in front of me. It didn't surprise me. The water was freezing, the snow was unbearable and they made the string become brittle and break.

Setting my weapons aside, I looked in my other bag. Seemed like all my other essentials were here, so I pushed them both away and Shay set them on the floor at the foot of the bed. "I'm sorry about your bow…"

After having the doctor change out my dressings for my pistol wounds and gash on my broken leg, Shay helped me back to his quarters and tucked me back into his bed again. But a question kept pervading my thoughts: why go to all this effort to rescue and help me recover from this? Is there some ulterior motive behind his caring actions of checking up on me and nursing me back to health? I needed to know who I was dealing with. I cannot write out everything; hell, I'd need another journal. I have to speak up…I need to ask him….

"Hey, lass, good news; the doctor says you're almost ready for your dressing to come off."

I smiled and nodded slowly as he got up from his seat on the bed. I need to ask him before he leaves again…speak up. Speak up now!

I started to take deep breaths and form my words one sound at a time.

"W….Wwwhh…"

Shay snapped his head around and gasped. "You…you're…?"

"Wh…whaaaa…"

He sat down again and patiently waited for me. "C'mon, lass. Please say something."

"Whhh…yyy?" I spoke as slowly as I could, feeling for how sore my throat was. It was numbed up fairly well, so I stared at Shay and asked him.

"Why, Ssshhaaayy….?"

"What do you mean, 'why'?"

"Whh…why are you hhhelping mmmeee…?"

"We found you stranded, miss." Shay replied. "There were no ships around for miles. You would've died out there if it weren't for us finding 'ya."

"But…I am a ssstranger to you….Whhhyyy go thhhrough all thisss trouble?"

"I have witnessed enough innocent people being slaughtered." Shay sighed. "Far be it for me to let a lady freeze to death."

"I-I-I just didn't wwwant to beee a burrrden to you…Captain Shay."

"Weren't a burden at all, my love. Just had to stop, make a fire and warm you up. These blankets and your wet clothes weren't helpin' much."

"Mmmm-mmmyyyy clothes….?" I quickly crossed my arms in modesty and embarrassment, letting out a muffled cry from my shoulder and leg pain. "W-ww-wwwhat did yyyou do to mmmeeee…?"

"Calm down, my love," Shay said, cupping his hand against my cheek. "I haven't done anything to you. But I had to change your clothes out for the sake of your health. Wet clothes were keeping the cold in."

"O-ooohh…well, okay. Thhank you, Shhhay."

As I heard a commotion outside, Shay gathered his sword, dagger, pistols and rifle, getting ready to go up on deck.

Gist came into the quarters with haste. "We have arrived in Albany, Captain Shay. Colonel Monro's waiting for you."

Shay's sigh sounded disappointed. "I have to go, my love."

Jus' tell him your name, you're blushing like a shy schoolgirl. "Mmm-my name's Elizabythe Annabell Freya…." I said, smiling at him.

As he got down on one knee near the bed, he kissed my forehead. "I promise…I'll return as soon as I can…Miss Freya."

"Be safe, Captain," I said softly.

"Always…"

Captain's Journal Entry

2

Well, I'm not dead yet. I'll continue to write in my journal.

I must say Captain Shay is a real Irish gentleman. He's a Templar, like my late father; I saw the red cross he bared. I'm glad that he's not an Assassin. But I could tell, from my weapons, that they had their suspicions. I'll have to clear my name and answer all their questions once they get back. No, no, Ellie; you cannot stay on a Templar ship. I need to recuperate away from this ship, away from Shay and his crew.

He and his first mate saw all my weapons. Maybe Shay didn't have an agenda, but his suspicions will certainly change that now. I have to do something. I need to find my father's homestead in New York, recuperate there where I'll be safe from harm. But I can't get there in my condition. I just need somewhere close by to recover until I can go to father's house on my own.

My sister had a bookstore and library in New York. I just don't know where she set up shop. I haven't the foggiest idea where my siblings were. I have not written them in several months.

I have heard the crew outside speak of what I could possibly be. An assassin, a thief, a prostitute or an orphan. Doesn't matter what they think of me. I cannot stick around with this lot. I'll just ask Shay to drop me off somewhere so I will not have to deal with him, his crew or the possibility of a fight on board the ship. It will not do me any good getting caught up in firefights.

Won't be much of a loss for the Captain. If there was an ulterior motive, then he should not miss me at all.


	5. Chapter 5 Journal Entry 3 Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Elizabythe's POV

After my slightly intoxicated nap, I moved the blankets off of me just as I heard a commotion outside. All the crew was leaving for some reason, something about upgrading the Morrigan's firearms.

The Captain walked briskly through the door and closed it behind him.

"We 'ave to go, Miss Freya," Shay said. "My ship's getting new cannons."

"That's good news, Shay. Would you mind helping me stand up?"

After Shay slung my bags over his shoulder, I put my glasses back on. Shay lifted my back gently upwards until I could hold myself up. Then, he gingerly moved my legs over the side of the bed and cupped his arm under them. After wrapping his free arm around my back, he lifted me up and slowly carried me up on deck and off his ship.

As he was walking off the port and into town, I figured now was the time to tell him. "Shay…I cannot stay on your ship anymore."

He stopped walking and turned his head to look at me. "Miss Freya…I-I don't understand-"

"I'm sorry, Shay, but its not fair to you to stay on your ship while I am still recovering. You have your own agenda, I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden, Miss Freya."

"Yes, I am…I cannot work on deck with the others. I cant work below deck. I cant help with whatever business you have in Albany. I can barely walk; what if there were a fight on your ship? I cannot help defend the Morrigan. If there is no other purpose I can serve, then I am nothing. I'm of no use to you."

Shay tightened his grip on me, pulling me closer to his face. "Stop speaking like this, lass. You are not nothing. Don't tear yourself down for me….But you do make a good point. You need a safer place to be taken care of."

"I cannot return to my father's homestead. Not after the mutiny. Do you of somewhere I could go stay for awhile?"

After a sigh and moment of silence, Shay smiled. "I know just the place."

He walked for a long time until he came to a house with an old wooden door. Since his hands were full, I knocked on the door for him.

"Who goes there?" A harsh, old man's voice barked.

"It's just me, Mister Finnegan."

The door quickly opened and I saw an old man in his late 60's, early 70's in a plaid, long-sleeved shirt; a dark, leather vest; light brown trousers, stockings and leather shoes. His grumbly nature seemed to melt away at the sight of the man who rescued me.

"Ah, Shay Cormac! It's great to see you again."

"Likewise."

"Please, com, come on in."

Shay eagerly stepped inside and set me lightly on the ground, holding me up by my back with my arm around his shoulders.

"I see you've brought a lovely lady with 'ya also…" Mister Finnegan then turned to the stairs behind him as an older woman descended the stairs. She had a nice, plump careworn face with a white bonnet; a gray dress with puffy, ruffled sleeves; a thick, blue shawl with a white bow and a long, blue apron with a pocket and a frilly embroidered outline.

"I thought I heard someone down here….Shay, how nice of you to visit. And who is this young lady?"

"Miss Freya, I'd like you to meet Mister and Missus Finnegan."

"It's nice to meet you, darlin'." Missus Finnegan gave a nice, gentle hug.

"Thank you, ma'am. It's very nice to meet you and your husband."

"You sound like a proper lady, Miss Freya. I am Cassidy and this is my husband-"

"Barry Finnegan!"

"Stop that, honey." Cassidy scolded him.

"Oh, you can call me Elizabythe, Miss Cassidy."

"Absolutely…so what brings you to our home, Shay?"

"I rescued this lass while out on my ship. Had gotten into a serious fight, fell into the water and left for dead. She's finally gettin' better, but my ship is not the safest shelter for her at the moment…"

"Oh, my, you poor, sweet child. You're lucky to have run into Shay here. He's a lovely gentleman."

"Will you please take care of Miss Freya for me?" Shay asked. "She needs to rest her broken leg she has. My vessel is not safe enough for what she needs."

"Of course we will, Shay," Cassidy smiled and took both of my hands to help me walk. "She will be better before you know it. Barry, help the lady to the guest room."

Before Mister Finnegan could help me to my room, Shay spoke.

"You're in good hands now, Miss Freya. You'll be safe."

"Please, Shay, call me Elizabythe."

"I have to leave you now, but we will meet again, lass."

"I'm not so sure we will," I said, frowning. "You seem to be pretty busy. You'll just forget about me…."

"Lass, look at me," Shay cupped my chin and lifted my head up. "I will never forget about you, Miss Freya."

Feels like he's being proper on purpose, just to vex me. "Shay, how many times must I tell you to call me Elizabythe?" A chuckle escaped my lips.

Shay flashed a charming smile. "I'll let you know…"

I smirked at him. Haha, he was vexing me. Slick, Irish rascal.

"I'll be on my way, then." Shay said, sounding somewhat sad.

"Don't be a stranger, boy." Barry said, giving him a sturdy handshake.

"Yes, do come to visit us again sometime." Cassidy hugged him good-bye as he made his way to the door.

"I shall, Miss Cassidy."

"Sometime soon, I hope."

As the door creaked open, Shay turned once more to look back at me, frowned and gave a big sigh.

"Goodbye, Mister Shay." I said firmly. "Godspeed."

"Goodbye." Shay stepped out and closed the door behind him, muttering Elizabythe's name under his breath as he reluctantly walked away.

Captain's Journal Entry

3

The Finnegans' set me up in a very nice, open room. They said it was their late son's. He liked to read his books; he had 2 large bookshelves full of them. I asked the Finnegans how they came to know Shay. Cassidy said that Colonel George Monro had found him stranded, delirious and nearly dead after betraying the Assassin Order and took Shay to the Finnegans. He was ill for nearly 7 weeks. I told them it was very nice of them to take him in as well as help me with my own injuries.

I told them that I was suspicious of Shay, having some sort of agenda or sinister motive for helping to rescue me and have me on his ship while going to Albany. He stopped just to build a campfire for me. He sacrificed valuable time to help me when he could have been running his ship.

They told me that I need not worry about Shay Cormac. He was a kind, civilized gentleman, or, at least, that's what they thought of him. But I knew he was dedicated to the Templar cause, as was my father; he was a busy man and Shay, I figured, would be no different. After a few days, maybe a week, I was certain Shay would forget my face and move on with his life. The Finnegans told me different, they were certain that Shay would come back just to visit me.

I asked them if I could tell them something in confidence. Not a word to anyone else, for my own safety. They were all ears, so I told them all I could. My name was Elizabythe Annabell Freya. I lived in New York. I had a stepbrother named Hunter and a stepsister named Seraphine. My mother and father's names were Emilly and Allistair Freya. My father was captain of a frigate called the Siren's Wrath. It had large, dark blue sails; a mermaid's bust on the front; and a large, black flag on the end decorated with a shimmering, silver mermaid tail fin. His first mate was James Locke Macintosh. James and my father had a fight over who would claim his ship, continue his work with the Templar Order and inherit his Piece of Eden. So he left me a letter in his quarters for me to open in due time. Father said that he had the apple hidden in a place no one would think to look; it was with someone that was always with the ship wherever he went. I didn't know what that riddle meant, but hopefully it would make sense when I got my ship back.

He said that family was the only real wealth anyone had. Money had no heart or soul. He kept those he loved close. So, my father threatened to kick him off his ship should anything happen to me. He was his first mate, but blood is thicker than water. Family came before anyone else, no matter what the age. There was a time and place for everything. Even me.

As I saw my father's head being shot, I panicked. Then the anger set in.

James tried to force me to hand them over to him. He objected to a ship being captained by a woman. He also despised that he would leave two powerful artifacts to a mere child that had no business being with him on his ship for several years, learning about the Templars and Assassins.

Barry and Cassidy now knew why I was in such terrible shape. James tried to rape me, but I had escaped with whatever I could pack up. I managed to fend off James's conspirators, along with my more loyal crew, but I was eventually overwhelmed. They threw me overboard in the Northern Atlantic. My loyal crew members were locked up below deck.

I managed to find a shore to swim to, despite it being blanketed with snow. I managed to build a fire, but my wounds and cuts were too great. The warmth did little to help me. I eventually passed out from losing too much blood.

Barry and Cassidy said that anyone else would have been dead in my situation. To this day, I still don't know how I survived this.

Now that Shay is gone, I can now focus on getting better and tracking down my ship and James and retrieve my father's things. But there was not too much to worry about. The sphere could not be pieced together without me. My father said the last piece was in a safe location kept under lock and key. Knowing my father, it was some sort of puzzle for me to figure out.

Can't do anything while I am sick and injured. So I'll enjoy my time here while I still can.

Chapter 6

Elizabythe's POV

After a long nap, I asked the Finnegans if there was any bookstore or library nearby I could go to get some new material to read. She recommended a little placed called Fins and Tales. Run by a lovely, young lady with long, flowing golden hair. The name alone intrigued me; it may have been my sister's bookstore and library. Only one way to find out….

Barry escorted me down to the bookstore while I tried my best to limp with my father's walking stick down to the bank, get some funds from my father's inheritance and head down to Fins and Tales.

A mermaid on the door welcomed me as I walked through the door, hearing a bell clatter and ring against the handle. The small, quaint and spacious. The bookshelves were all around the outside with a fireplace on the right wall, and several seating arrangements around it with tables, a few candles and some plants to brighten up the room.

There were a doors in in the back along with a work area for library books, a log and a few supplies. The front desk was vacant with a small bell on top. My sister was always good at redecorating and setting up rooms for a bunch of people; hell, my father had her the main party planner for his dinners with his associates of the Templar Order.

As I was about to ring the bell, I heard a cheerful, but loud voice call out to me. "Give me a moment. I'll be right with you!"

As I turned around, trying the find the person that called out to me, a slim orange-haired woman in a dark-green dress came out from behind one of the smaller bookshelves. She had my blue eyes, mother's hair color, high-heeled boots and a mermaid tail comb in her hair.

She gasped, dropped her 3 books in her right arm and took out in flat-out sprint. "Lizzy! You found me!"

"Easy, easy there, young lady," Barry said as he stopped her from crashing into me. "Jus' take it easy."

"Hi, Seraphine." I said, trying to hold back my painful groans. "You're a sight for sore eyes. Haven't seen you in a long time."

Sera sighed and covered her mouth, trying to hold back some emotion in her voice. "I heard what happened to Father….I miss him a lot."

"Me, too, sister-Hey!" I cut myself off when I realized what she just told me. "How do you know what happened to father?"

"Artemis gave me a message from one of Father's men on the Siren."

My face slowly stretched with my mouth wide open and my breath hitched in my throat. "Artie's…alive?!"

"See for yourself." Sera slipped on a thick, leather glove and I saw my beautiful bald eagle, stepping up on Sera's hand. "Artemis, look…it's Ellie."

The huge bird stared at me bobbed her head a few times and quickly flew in my direction as I caught her on my gloved hand.

"Artie, honey," I cooed at him. "You made it, girl."

Artemis chattered at me and hovered her head near my free head, so I gave her a gentle head-rub and put her back on her perch.

"That's your bird, young lady?" Barry asked me.

"My Father found Artie as a young chick. Fell out of her nest in a tree and was found in some leaves. It was being stalked by a wolf, so my Father shot it and brought Artemis home. She's been with us since summer of 1752. Helped us hunt, send messages, she learns quickly."

"Right smart bird you got there." Barry complimented.

"Hey, Sera, I don't mean to bother you, but do you have any of my favorite books I could borrow?"

After giving Artemis a piece of meat from his bowl, she turned back to me. "I should hope so. Let me see what I can dig up here…."

After a few minutes of resting by the fireplace, Sera came back with a small stack of books for me. "I got your Robinson Crusoe here and your Mythology favorites."

I frowned slightly. "Hmmm, no Shakespeare today?"

Sera shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I have my library copies lent out already. Some man came in here not too long ago and bought my last few Shakespeare books and mythical tales I had left. Seemed determined to start reading them, said it was 'to take and read to a lovely lass who was in her sickbed."

My voice got hoarse again from catching my breath. "You don't say. Y'know what the man looked like?"

"Fairly white skin, black ponytail and a black and red coat with a hood."

There was only one thing to check for…"Did he have a scar over one of his eyes?"

"Yes, his left one. Why?"

I felt my face get warmer and warmer until I saw my entire face flushed in the stand-up mirror next to the fireplace. "Shay Cormac…."

"Sounds like someone's comin' to see 'ya after all," Barry smiled.

"How did you even know who-"

"The same man you call Shay came into my store just yesterday." Sera said. "He did not mention his name to me, but he asked me if I had any suggestions for good stories to read someone whilst they're sick. And I told him, 'You can never go wrong with some romantic tales by Shakespeare and epic stories of monsters and heroes and gods from mythology. My sister enjoys these ones very much,' and I showed him what I had for sale. He went and bought all of them, sat down and had me make some refreshments while he sat and read for a whole day."

"You're not pulling my leg, are you, Seraphine?"

"No, I'm serious." Sera replied. "He asked me questions about the material he was reading, as if I were his personal storyteller…"

"Did he do anything to you…Y'know, anything bad?"

"NO, of course not." Sera barked. "He was a perfectly courteous, young man. Very kind-hearted, too. Anyway, he finished about half his books before the sunset. Finished his coffee and scones I had made for him and even left me something extra for all the trouble."

"Well, I'll be damned. The man that rescued me sounds almost too good to be true…"

"You are one lucky beauty, Lizzy."

"Don't. Call. Me. LIZZY."

So be it…Lizzy." UGH, Sera what a brazen pain in my arse….


	6. Journal Entry 4 Chapter 7 and Entry 5

Captain's Journal Entry

4

So this Shay Cormac may not be as bad as I suspected he'd be. Helped out my sister with a large tip on top of his books he bought and his snack my sister made for him. Could he still have an ulterior motive behind his actions?

I don't know, but no one has ever gone to this length to bond with me. I have been stabbed in the back before, metaphorically and literally. I don't intend to let anyone get close enough for it to happen again.

I shouldn't let him bother me. Who knows if he will even have the time to visit me? He seemed busy with stuff he had to do. Only time will tell.

Chapter 7

Elizabythe's POV

When I awoke from my long, well-rested sleep, a bright sunlight had shined through my left window and lingered there until I woke up fully. I must have had too much painkiller…I feel so tired….Damn poppy flowers.

I looked to my right and saw a nice cup of tea with a pot next to it. There was also a bowl with some apples and berries as well. After drinking about 3 cups, I felt myself feeling more alert and more rejuvenated. Then I heard some footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Rise and shine, Elizabythe…" Cassidy said gently. "I see you liked the tea I made you?"

"Oh, yes, it was very good." I yawned. "Thanks for the fruit, too. I'll be eating it shortly. How's your morning?"

Cassidy laughed a bit at my comment. "It's already noon, sweetie. It's not morning anymore."

Suddenly, as she was telling me this, I heard what sounded like light footsteps coming from the stairs. The timing between some steps was delayed once they got to the hallway. They sounded almost hesitant.

"She just woke up, dear." Cassidy said. "You can come see her now."

"W-what's going on?" I asked her.

"You've got a visitor today." Cassidy said. "He's been waiting for a while now, thought you'd be awake sooner."

"Thank you, Cassidy."

"Just come downstairs once you're ready, honey."

As she walked away and retreated downstairs, the other footsteps stopped briefly and continued walking until I saw his frame in the doorway. I felt myself panic slightly, my feelings clouded with uncertainty and disbelief.

"Elizabythe…."

I gasped silently. It's him…he came for me. "Shay….?"

He flashed a charming smile at me. "It's me, lass."

"But…but why are you here?"

"I came back for you…and you alone."

"You came…jus' to visit me in my sickbed?"

"Yes. I did."

I couldn't help but mutter in a whisper. "I don't believe it…."

"I apologize if my visit was somewhat unexpected and…unwelcome." Shay's voice sounded almost regretful and apologetic. "If you'd like for me to leave, just say the word and I'll go."

"No, no no. It's alright…you can stay for awhile if you want to."

Shay came over and sat on my right side of the bed. "I said that I would return to visit you again…"

"I honestly didn't think you would, Shay."

"Why did you think that, lass?"

"I saw how hard you were working on the Morrigan. I could tell you had some business to do that would take awhile. So, I didn't think that you would find time to come see me. I didn't think that I even mattered to you."

"Mister Finnegan said that you were suspicious of me…why?"

"Your coat has the same Templar cross my Father bore." I took a deep breath to keep from getting upset. "He was murdered by a fellow Templar he trusted with his life. And that misplace trust cost him his life and his ship. And I…I thought you…."

I was having trouble keeping my voice level and even-keel until I felt a warm hand rest on mine.

"Elizabythe, I'm here to listen to you and what ails you," Shay said, "…not to judge you."

After a long, deep sigh, I finally spoke. "I thought you had an angle. An agenda. Another more sinister motive for rescuing me. I did not know what you were going to do with me. Putting me to work on the Morrigan or having me pleasure you like some other scoundrels have done with me. I heard your crew's suspicions of me. Possibly being a thief, smuggler, pirate, prostitute, or worse, an Assassin….

"I am not an Assassin. Never was, never will be. I am the daughter of Alistair Freya of the Templar Order."

"I had hoped you were not an Assassin." Shay said.

"All my weapons, either made by me or given to me by my Father."

"But, Miss Freya…"

"Elizabythe." I reminded him.

"You're the first woman to ever board my ship." Shay confessed. "Why in God's name would I do anything to disrespect you like that?"

"You didn't have to rescue me. You could've left me. One less burden to worry about. But the more you cared for me, I thought you would've found another use for me. I didn't think I mattered to you, Shay….Didn't think you'd care if you were rid of me…."

I felt my face burn, my arms shake and my throat slam shut. I'm sorry, Shay Cormac….

"Elizabythe, it's all right."

No, it's not all right, Shay. I couldn't find the words to tell him all the pain I was feeling. And the embarrassment of Shay seeing me break down.

I felt his hand's grip tighten on mine as I felt a warm hand on my cheek brush the tears away. "Elizabythe, you're not a burden. Not to me, not to the Finnegans, not to anyone else. Caring for you on the Morrigan was a…welcome distraction for me. It's been awhile since I've enjoyed the company of a woman. To be honest, I didn't think much of it when I rescued you, until the doctor told me how hurt you were. I didn't think you'd ever wake up, so I made a fire and made sure you'd pull through. Then, I saw you open your eyes…"

I looked up and saw him, trying to find the right words to explain himself. Looking away and looking back at me, trying to keep eye contact…then he finally spoke.

"Elizabythe, I do care for you," Shay began. "A lot. More than I thought I would care for a woman. You have no reason to fear me, or not to trust me…."

I felt my heart was growing fonder of him and I began to panic…until I felt Shay cup his hand on my left cheek. "Elizabythe, look at me….I take care of my own. If you should ever need me, for anything…I'll be here for you…I promise."

My eyes widened. "Y-you do?"

Shay nodded twice.

"D'you think you could help me with something? Something important."

"What do you need?"

"Since I'm here recovering, I need eyes and ears outside these four walls. If you see my Father's ship whilst you're sailing, let me know as soon as possible. If you see or hear of a man called James Locke Macintosh, please, inform me of his whereabouts if you can."

"Who is this man you speak of?"

"The backstabbing bastard that murdered my Father and took my ship he entrusted to me. He has red hair, green eyes, mustache, beard. He wears a lot of rings and has a dog with with him."

"What's your ship's name?" Shay asked.

"The Siren's Wrath, or the Siren for short. A frigate with dark blue sails, lots of guns, a mermaid bust on its front and a flag with a siren on it….Look, Shay, I'm not asking you to hunt them down, but just be on the lookout for me, so I know where to start once I get better enough to walk."

"I'll be looking for you, Elizabythe."

Always seems like my name is always a mouthful. "If it's easier, you can jus' call me Ellie."

"Ellie…?" Shay asked.

"My Father's nickname for me."

"I like the sound of that."

"Glad you like it," I chuckled. "Elizabythe's too much of a mouthful for me."

"Oh, really?" I nodded twice. Then, Shay positioned himself to where half of his body was hovering over me. "I like Elizabythe better…."

I had to back myself up into the headboard when I realized how close his face was to me. I could nearly feel his warm breath on my lips. Shay looked confused when I seemed to "reject" his suggestive maneuver.

"I-I'm sorry…." I muttered in a low tone.

"Am I overstepping, lass?"

"No, it's not you. It's…well, me." Why do I feel so comfortable telling him this about me? Just say it, Ellie. He's wondering why you shrunk away…"When I am here, with you, Shay, I don't feel…alone anymore, and it scares me."

"Why would it scare you to be with me?"

"I was accustomed to being alone for so long…I was better off that way."

"Why's that?"

"If I am alone, then….No one can hurt me."

"You're hurting yourself by doing so."

I felt myself crying again. "…I know, Shay."

He wrapped his arm around and rested his free hand on the back of my neck. "Elizabythe, look at me….I would never, ever hurt you. Remember that."

".…I will."

Captain's Journal Entry

5

For the next month or so, I have been recuperating, hardly leaving my bed. Barry and Cassidy have been very attentive. Shay had made it a habit now to visit at least twice a week. Sometimes we read our books together. Other days, he dropped off some things from the apothecary to help with the pain. Sometimes he came an extra day a week to help me gain movement of my leg again without my walking stick.

Most of the time, whenever I read my mythology books aloud, he asked me about the tales I read. Perseus and Medusa, the battle against the serpent-haired monster that turned men to stone with a single look. Orpheus's endeavor to retrieve his love, Eurydice from the Underworld, but not allowed to look back at her until he fully exited the Underworld. He didn't hear her footsteps, looked and Eurydice was trapped as a shade forever.

After a few more weeks, I was able to move more easily without my walking stick, but I still keep it within reach.

Shay has been acting a bit unusual lately. Wanting to take me outside. Taking strolls around town. Taking walks outside of town into the woodlands away from the noise into a more serene environment. What was he trying to do now? Charm me? Impress me? Hell, he even showed me his moves from his training as a former Assassin. I have also observed him behaving friendlier than normal. Wanting to be close. The endless compliments, some subtle and some obvious. There's something going on with him that I can't seem to figure out.

Yesterday, I came across Colonel George Monro. Shay introduced us at last. First words out of that man's mouth: "Don't I know you, Miss….?" "Freya. Elizabythe Annabell Freya." His face lit up immediately. He was a good friend to my Father and to me. I told him what had happened to me and he said that he would aid me in my search should he come across James or my ship. I thanked him for his most generous offer to help me and told him it would be a few more weeks before I am able to fully walk about again.

Gist paid us a visit, made a joke about how I don't look white like a ghost anymore. Even he mentioned how striking my blue eyes were. I invited the two men down to my sister's bookstore and library. Gist and Sera got along very well together. Artemis flew in from the window, along with a scroll from my brother.

Dear Ellie,

I apologize for not writing to you in several months. I have been very busy these last few months. Keeping up Father's house, grinding away at work, helping Sera. I heard what happened to Father. I have been trying to track him down for a month now, but to no avail. I haven't sailed since you and Father left. I've been working with Colonel Monro on up-keeping the city and helping its people.

If you wish to see me, I am working at a pub called Blackbeard's Den. Have Sera let me know where you're recovering so that I may visit you at my earliest convenience. Love you, sister. Get well soon.

Your Brother,

Hunter Freya

Shay, Gist and I went to visit him. The bar was somewhat empty. Hunter jumped through the ceiling when he saw my condition. Nearly jumped at Shay until I told him that he was the one that had rescued me. I asked him if he had a bottle of my favorite rum for me and I bought it from him for the 3 of us. Hunter thanked Shay for everything he's doing for me.

Gist asked me why I bought a bottle of rum. I told them that the place I wanted to go did not sell this particular kind.

Turns out it was the bar Shay, Gist and the Colonel had drinks at a month and a half ago. The rum was extremely potent. It was good for 2 things: killing pain and getting someone very drunk very fast.

2 shots in and the two men were wobbling like a top. All they could do was stare at me. I told them just because I am a woman that doesn't mean I cant drink just as much as the men could. Due to my Father's love of the drink, I could out-drink nearly anyone I came across.

Shay knew when to stop. Gist? Not so much. He finished a quarter of my rum along with some ale. Shay had to escort him back to the inn he was staying at. Then Shay helped me to the Finnegan's home. I told him I wasn't about to let him walk back to his room at the inn, drunk and swinging back and forth like he was on his ship.

I tucked myself in, Shay, being the gentleman he was, grabbed a spare blanket and slept on top of mine. Shay passed out well before I did. Cassidy brought up some food to hold me over until morning.

As Shay slept, I saw how peaceful he looked. I played with his ponytail, ran my fingers through his hair and caressed his face. Did not wake up once. Once I had my milk of the poppy along with another 2 shots of rum, I was out like a candle. And to think this all happened just yesterday.

As for Shay's altered behavior, I don't have an answer for that yet.

Only time will tell if he will come to terms with his feelings and admit it to me on his own time.


	7. Chapter 8

_TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP!_

I was startled awake by something hitting my glass window. Then I heard a chattering bird call. It was Artemis. She was annoyed by the glass; even as a juvenile, she always liked to be near me and my family.

Artemis's tapping got more frantic, but I quickly jumped up to let her in when I heard a tired humming come from Shay next to me.

I quickly opened up the balcony window and Artemis perched on the large desk next to the window where I wrote in my journal and sketched my drawings. My education was mainly taught by my Father and people through the Templar order and their connections. My more recent picture of Shay, Artemis, the Finnegans among other things was in a loose pile on the desk Artemis was resting on.

"Do you have to be so obnoxious, Artie?"

She just tilted her head once and ruffled up her feathers. Then, she started looking down at my large sketchbook and I pitched a fit when she started to peck and lift up the book by its flimsy spine.

"Artemis, NO, you can't have that!" I hissed at her. My scoundrel of a bird hissed back as I went to grab it from her. She quickly moved back, but I got one hand on the other end of my sketchbook and I tugged.

"_Give. Me. My. Book_!" Artemis tried hopping backwards away from me but how much could a 18-pound bird pull, anyway? Then, she got smart and flapped her wings forcefully.

"You are nothing but an overgrown, rascally rodent with feathers!" I hissed at her; instead of making her let go, she flapped her wings vigorously and ended up slapping me in the face. As I tried blowing the feathers out of my face, she stopped flapping and used her weight to make me off-balance and fall on my back. I let out a pained groan as Artemis flew to the other desk nearest Shay's bedside table.

I tried getting myself up, but putting weight on my legs was still crippling, so I just laid on the wooden floor, cursing. "That little bitch…! Well, well, this is absolutely peachy. I was sleeping like a rock and I wake up to my eagle pinching my sketchbook….UGH!"

I snapped my eyes back open when I heard loud footsteps behind my head. Shay had gotten up from bed and was standing right over me, smirking.

"Having fun, lass?"

"Shut yer gob, Shay; I am in no mood for foolin' 'round."

"Well, Miss Freya, that doesn't sound very ladylike of you."

"Would you shut up an' help me stand, PLEASE?"

"Well, ok, since you said 'please'." He chuckled and helped get me to my feet. "So this beautiful creature over here is yours?"

"My Father's. She's been with us for about 5 years."

"Hmm." Shay was starting to get curious. _Aaaahhh, shit! _"Looks like your bird's got somethin'."

Shay grabbed the sketchbook with one hand, staring at her as she let out a muffled call. "Sssshhh….Let go, Artie…come on. Be a good girl."

Artemis gently opened her beak and got closer to Shay's other gloved hand. Then, she used her beak and one clawed foot to climb up his arm and stare into his eyes, tilting her head at him, then at me.

"I'll be goddamned." I was shocked. "She is nice with you. She doesn't warm up to men this fast. You're lucky, Shay; anyone else would've been attacked already." Artemis, then, flew back to my writing desk and rested its eyes.

"I am glad that's over." I mumbled.

"So, Elizabythe, what's this?" Shay asked, holding up my sketch of him.

Oh, God, here we go. "Oh, that. That is, uh, um…you. I drew it a few days ago. I got bored."

"An' you drew this from memory?"

"Most of it, yeah."

"What are you, an artist or something?" He asked, flipping through my whole book. He stopped at Artemis, the Finnegans, a dog I saw on the street and the _Morrigan_'s helm. "Well, these are…rather good. They are…very good."

The last one I had roughly sketched was Christopher Gist with his hat off. Then, Shay chuckled smugly and flashed a cheeky smirk at me.

"Why're you lookin' at me like that?"

"Oh, nothing, lass, just wonderin' what 'ole Gist would think if he were to see this drawing of him…."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, I plan to, love." He closed my sketchbook and headed for the hallway.

"OH, NO, YOU DON'T!" I rushed for him and flew for the book but he used his long arm to keep it out of reach.

"Oh, come on. Just one picture, or two,maybe…"

"Look, Shay, I don't care if you want them or not. If you want to take the sketches of you and the helm, be my guest. Just don't take that sketch of Gist."

"Elizabythe Freya, you're not embarrassed, are 'ya?"

"The hell I am!"

"Y'know, you look even cuter when you're angry."

"Shut the hell up an' gimme the drawing." I said firmly through my teeth.

"I don't think so, lass." Shay smiled. "This'll be good for a laugh."

"No, no, no, no!" I put my weight on my arm on his shoulder to being him down but he circled and wriggled out of my grasp. I took chase in the spacious room as Shay kept laughing and playing keepaway, watching me limp and hop around. "C'mon, Shay Cormac. Please…?"

"No….?"

"Oh, for the love of God!" I growled. "What do I have to do for you to give me back my sketchbook."

"You really want this back, don't you?"

"Yes, Shay, I really do." I softened my voice for him. "Please give me the whole thing back and I'll tear out a few drawings for you to keep."

"Oh, really, lass? You'll do anythin' I ask of 'ya?"

"Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. I'll do anything. Jus' tell me already."

"Kiss me."

I didn't catch what he said because of how fast his response was. What I thought I heard sent ripples and churns throughout my body and stomach.

"W-w-what did you s-s-say?"

"I said, 'Kiss me'."

Hearing him say it again gave me goosebumps. "W-w-what?"

"You heard me, lass." He put the sketchbook behind his back and turned to fully face me. "I want a kiss."

I felt myself stammer and at a loss for words. "C-can't I a-"

"No, you can't." Shay said smoothly. "You want your book back, you will have to kiss me."

Just one kiss…? Really? Not that this was hard, but it would be hard for me…emotionally. His feelings for me…were they real? 1 way to find out….

"So, just…one kiss, Shay?"

He stood quiet and nodded.

"F-f-for how…long?" Was it going to be a peck or a full-on snogging?

"What do you think…?" Oh, you cheeky Irish scoundrel….

I felt myself start to panic again, kept getting flashbacks of every time I tried to be close to someone. Some of the worst memories I have….I shook my head in denial and took a few steps back towards the bed. I kept a straight face; I didn't need any more humiliation that what I had now.

"So be it…." He turned his back and flipped open the sketchbook. I clenched my fists and teeth and dreaded the noise of him tearing out his favorite drawings. If Gist saw his sketch, I'd be a laughingstock. UGH, just don't think about the kiss, Ellie. Just do it to get it over with.

As Shay flipped to the last page of the book, with Gist's detailed sketch, I finally blurted answer. "Shay, WAIT!"

He frozen in place, hand, sketchbook and all.

"I'll do it." I said hastily.

He turned back to me again. "What was that, lass?"

"I said, 'I'll do it'….I will kiss you."

Shay's face lit up like a candlelight. "Will you?"

I gulped and nodded twice. I walked back over to Shay and got within an inch of our bodies touching. "You need to stay very, very still.…"

"All right…."

"And close your eyes."

"How will I know you won't just take off?" Shay asked.

I took a deep breath and gently held both his hands in mine, resting my dominant left hand on his hand with my drawings in it.

"I'll hold your hands, Shay; I won't let go."

Shay closed his eyes in agreement and patiently waited. "I'm ready…."

I shifted my feet closer to where my toes met his boots. My breath was getting faster and shakier. "Lean down a bit…please?"

Shay kept his eyes closed and inched just close enough for me to reach on my tiptoes. I inched closer and closer to his face until I saw him try to close the gap. "Don't. Move. Please."

I was as close as I could get. My breathing wasn't getting any better. I felt one tear escape from each eye. I tightened my grip on Shay's hands out of nervousness and fear as I parted my lips and pressed them to Shay's. He and I both breathed out as he held his kiss with me. But it scared me not because this was my first kiss; believe me, I've had plenty. But Shay's kiss wasn't smug or triumphant or sly. His kiss felt…genuine. Heartfelt….

I broke the kiss as Shay and I opened our eyes. He smiled charmingly, but my straight face I had kept soon became frozen with panic and fear, but I pushed those from my mind quickly.

"Thank you…Elizabythe…." Shay said in a near whisper. "It was…very nice."

He released his hand with my drawings and relinquished them to me.

"Jus' glad you liked it." I said to him. "Consider yourself lucky."

"I make my own luck, Elizabythe."

I tore out the 3 sketches, used my feather quill to sign my initials, EF, and quickly drew a mermaid tail fin next to it. Me and my sister's signature.

"Thanks for the drawings," Shay said. "I'm sure Gist will like his."

"If he does, he can keep it."

"I'm sure he will like it." Shay smirked. "You made him look like an outright gentleman."

"That's what I was going for." I replied. "He is a nice gentleman."

"Well, I have to get back to my ship. Got some business to do on it."

Before he stepped into the hallway, I called back out to him. "Uh, Shay?"

"What's wrong, lass?"

"When will I see you again?"

"Maybe tonight….How 'bout somewhere more private?"

"Like where?"

"Albany Inn. Room 7….Meet me there after sundown."

"I will, Shay….Be safe."

"Always."


	8. Captain's Journal Entry 6

Captain's Journal Entry

6

I think I am falling in love with Shay Cormac. Ugh, why me? What's wrong with me? You'd think a girl would learn from too many heartbreaks. But no, its Shay. He seems to feel the same way. Hell, I kissed him, for God's sake! Just because the rascal wouldn't give me my sketchbook back.

I told the Finnegans about my feelings for Shay and they couldn't be happier for me. But I decided to just ride this out, see where it would lead…

Shay had to go away for awhile, tending to his fleet, fixing up the town, eroding the Assassins' influence they had over certain fortifications. I had told him that Artemis was used to flying long distances, so I told him if he wanted to send letters to keep in touch, I would let Artemis go with him for a bit. Since my leg was getting much better, I spent most of my time, walking around town with the Finnegans, accompanying them while they ran errands.

Speaking of good news, my brother sent a message, saying that He just finished an early shift and could take me home. The Finnegans were thrilled for me, but also sad to see me go; I told them they were more than happy to visit our homestead anytime they wished.

Late October. My leg bothers me very little now. I am at my Father's homestead. His room seems nearly packed up of his belongings we wished to keep. Hunter said that because my Father's been murdered, Assassins or possibly James's followers may come for the house. He just wants us to be prepared for the worst. I don't blame him. Even though I killed a majority of the traitors on board my ship, James still had connections.

It didn't matter to me. I had my own way of dealing with him. He was like a weed. Plant seeds of doubt, resentment, anger, and the weed spreads and kills everything else around it. And the best way to kill a weed is at the ROOT. I needed to make him harmless, in a sense. Cut off his resources and his ties, tell those of the Templar Order what's become of him, and they'll be on him like flied to a dead carcass. They'll take him, cut off his resources, retrieve my ship and then, I can focus on finding myself a loyal crew for the __Siren's Wrath__.

Hunter's been getting me up to fighting speed again. Reteaching me all of my Father's techniques in stealth, hunting, swordfight, marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat. My shoulder was a bit stiff, but poppy flowers helps me block out the pain enough for my training.

I am hoping that Shay comes back to Albany soon. He's been working with Colonel Monro for awhile. I just got his most recent letters from Artemis. The last letter both made me happy and scared me. This is what it read:

****My Dearest Elizabythe,****

****It's been rough here on the Seven Seas, but Gist, the crew and I are still going strong. The ******__**Morrigan**__******is getting better and stronger in our battles. Gist adored your drawing, by the way. Saw him blush red like a rose. He said that you are a very talented woman of your age, and I agree with him. You have accomplished a lot for a woman of twenty-five. ****

****I had my drawings framed and put in my quarters. They are my sole reminder of you and the time we have spent together. I only wish that you were well enough to come along with me. But I am hunting down the Assassins I once called my brothers. But they have leveled the city of Lisbon. So many innocent lives lost forever. It would be dangerous for you to accompany me, especially with your battle wounds.****

****In earnest, I miss you terribly. I wanted to spend more time with you in Albany, but unfortunately I had my own work to attend to. These months have been hard for me. I keep finding myself being distracted by you. I wish you could have been here for my birthday in September. ****

****I have missed you ever since I left Albany. But you'll be happy to know that I am on my way back to Albany to take a break from my work and from sailing. I shall be there by next week, if not sooner. I am taking this break not because I am tired or exhausted, but because I have not forgotten about our kiss we shared that morning so long ago. I wanted to finally talk to you about it. ****

****Until we meet again.****

****Yours Truly,****

****Shay Patrick Cormac****

I told Sera and Hunter to meet Shay at the docks and bring him to our homestead immediately. I told him that he was coming back to Albany next week or sooner. Now, I will have to face my feelings for Shay and finally conquer my fear of intimacy with another man. I have had my share of bad relationships, but I am certain that Shay will be different than them.

I just need to try…again. Give Shay a chance, Ellie. Just let your guard down enough for Shay to be let in. Just try….Father would have wanted me to be happy. Find my own bliss and not let his death burden me. He wants me to be happy. He wanted me to find someone as wonderful as Mother. Is Shay…the one for me…?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

My Father's homestead was a beautiful sight. Crafted from strong wood, the shaded patio spanned the front of the house while the back of the homestead's patio had no roof for sunlight, and this was my favorite place to relax, read, write and sketch my drawings. The house's chimney and fire places were all built of stone and very large to warm up the estate during the harsh winter.

Father's basement was the office for which he did his work with the Templars and also kept his cellar. Wine, rum, whiskey, brandy and other liquors filled every inch of the walls. In the middle of the cellar was a large bar for entertaining company.

Inside, our estate was as spacious as possible; our Father had parties quite frequently, so room to roam and mingle with guests was a must. Upstairs was for our rooms, storage, my library and the attic. Hunter was the oldest child, Seraphine the youngest and I was stuck in the middle. I had the attic to myself, Hunter had and shared the larger bedroom with his sister. There was also a room for our Mother and Father. The housekeeper and butler, an old happily married couple, stayed in the upstairs room next to my parents' room. Our guest bedrooms were on the bottom floor.

The butler and housekeeper have been friends with Father since before Hunter was born. Geoffrey and Dorothea Steele. They were a married couple of 57 years. Geoffrey sounded rough around the edges, but he cared for me and my siblings very much. He wore a pair of glasses identical to his wife's and silky, medium-length grey hair with darker shades underneath. He always had stubble on his face and wore a black waistcoat, long sleeve shirts, pants and shiny black boots. His wife dressed very elegantly, always wearing her colonial dress with heels, white gloves and her long, flowing silvery hair was always in an updo or bun with satin or silk ribbons flowing from the back. Geoffrey was with the Templars for quite some time and he stayed with my Father, keeping him up-to-date with his affairs and business with the Order.

Our cook was a former black slave my Father freed while traveling in the south. William Jones. At a ripe, old age of 83, he still found his way around our house and still providing for us. Wearing a loose-fitting, long sleeve shirt and warm, cotton pants held up with suspenders underneath his apron. He had a very dark complexion with darker freckles on his face; grey mustache and beard; and soft, short, curly grey hair. He only wore glasses when reading.

We had some fruits and veggies grown around our homestead, along with a few trees and fenced area for our animals to roam around.

Our horses roamed our land freely and retreated to their stable at night. Our stableman and his close friend helped us with caring for the animals and looking after our crops that we sometimes sold in the market. Timothy Gideon and Samuel Anton kept our land looking its best. Tim was a stout, rounded man with a round, careworn face that had a big heart. He cared for the animals as if they were his children. He didn't have much wrinkles, except for crow's feet around his eyes and a few bags under his eyes. His forehead had a few pronounced, wavy lines in it, too. He liked to keep his hair very short, sometimes bald if it was during the harvest months. Both Mr. Gideon and Mr. Anton were in their mid 60's early 70's and they kept themselves very fit with all the hard work they do for us. Mr. Anton kept his grey hair medium length like our butler did, but unlike Mr. Gideon, he only had forehead wrinkles and bags. His face was remarkably smooth and aged well. He had a tall and full figure, neither thin nor plump and he kept on his person a ring from his marriage to his late wife and a cross necklace he wore at all times. Mr. Gideon had an antique pocket-watch with his wife and son's name carved into it.

By the time the first week of November rolled around, I still hadn't heard anything from the docks about anyone arriving. Then Friday arose and Sera sent me a message to me via Artemis and said that she saw the Morrigan being docked this afternoon and that she and Hunter would be bringing him to the homestead. I couldn't wait to tell everyone the good news.

I looked out over the wooden patio and saw Mr. Gideon, feeding one of our horses and Mr. Anton, leading our bigger draft h0rse around as he was gathering our crops.

"TIMOTHY! SAMUEL!"

Both men stopped abruptly.

"What is it, darlin'?" Timothy asked.

"We are having company!" I yelled out. "Finish up your work post-haste and meet me inside immediately."

"YES, Ma'am!" They confirmed as I ran back inside to call everyone together.

"Geoffrey! Mr. Jones! Dorothea! Anyone here?"

"Calm down, sweet-pea," Dorothea said softly from her chair by the fireplace. "What is it?"

"We are having someone over." I replied. "I need this house suitable for my guest this afternoon."

"Is this that Templar gentleman Sera's been tellin' me 'bout?"

"Yes, Mrs. Steele."

"Oh, goodie. Well, I'll go find my husband in the basement. You go find William, see what we can't make for dinner tonight."

As Dorothea bookmarked what she was reading and left hastily, I got as fast as I could to the open kitchen and did not see William anywhere. When he wasn't cooking, he was on the back porch, having a smoke.

I threw open the back door. "Mr. Jones! You out here, sir?"

"I'm right here, Ellie." I heard him say from the far right side of the porch. "What's the matter, child?"

"Shay Cormac just docked his ship. He'll be here by afternoon, could we get something special to have for dinner tonight?"

"Well, what does the man enjoy havin'?"

"He's mostly on his ship," I commented. "So anything piping hot will put a smile on his face."

"I went to the butcher just yesterday. Geoffrey said that a nice, juicy bird baked in the oven would satisfy him."

"What did he have you buy?"

"A turkey, small goose and a few pheasant," He answered. "Some meat to last us the week."

"I think turkey will do. Gideon and Anton are finishing their harvest, so let's have some corn, potatoes and some leafy greens."

"Don't forget about the fruit, Miss Freya."

"I know, William." He was the one insistent on me, eating as healthy as I could. My Father liked stuffing his belly till he could barely walk. His full-bellied wobble made him look like he was drunk off his arse.

"Now, ma'am, let me ask 'ya. This man, Mr. Cormac, is he a guest?"

"Yes, of course he is."

"Is he a 'guest' guest or is he a very special kind of guest?"

"William…."

"Well, it seems like Mr. And Mrs. Steele believe that you have grown quite fond of this man. Is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now, I know it's been hard for you to find a loving man since your Father passed, but he did not leave this earth, wanting you to be unhappy. You can't shut out every man you come across just because you are afraid to be hurt again. And from what I've heard of this man, he's gone to great lengths to enjoy your company and be close to you."

"Yes, he has. He's quite persistent."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have nothing to worry about, Miss Freya. Now, let's head on inside and get dinner started. I have the turkey in the oven, it's been there since last night. It'll be done within the hour. I'll start on the side dishes, go see what Geoffrey needs from you, then you can go make yourself proper for this Mr. Cormac."

"Thank you, Mr. Jones."

As I went inside and came through the living room, everyone, including my brother and sister were clamoring over dinner preparations.

"Have you got the crops in…?" Geoffrey said over the other voices. "Good, bring in lots o' corn, potatoes, fresh fruits for dessert. Dorothea, love, go to the cellar. Bring out the reserve rum, aged from 1751. Gideon, Anton, please change yourselves. You're both sweatin' like pigs. We need to look our best, got it? Jones, you do what you do best: cook our guest up a feast fit for a captain."

"Right away, sir."

After the clamor ceased and everyone dispersed, I went to confer with Geoffrey as to what the dinner plans would be.

"So, Geoffrey, everything in shipshape, as it were?"

"Ha-ha, very funny….Yes, everything is in order. Now, you run along and get yourself ready for Mr. Cormac."

"Oh, not you, too."

"Oh, yes, we all know about your fondness towards this young man."

"Clearly."

"May I imbue you with a little wisdom?"

"Uhm, yes?"  
"Just be yourself with Mr. Cormac. No walls, no defenses, no distancing yourself. Let go of your fear. Let your guard down."

"I know, sir; Jones told me the same thing."

"And he is right, you know. If this man rescued you, nursed you to health, found refuge for you to recover and willingly visited you to make sure you were alright, he clearly has taken an interest in you."

"Maybe he will be different." I mumbled, holding back my tears.

"Miss Freya, I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't care about you and your family: give him a chance to be close to you. Let him in."

"I….I-I will try, Geoffrey."

"That's all I ask of you. We all just want you to be happy, Elizabythe."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I went ahead and put my long hair up in a bun with a braid, hanging in front of each of my ears. I wore my Father's Templar cross necklace, and a pair of sapphire earrings. I wore a black dress with accents of red with my beige heels. I have never been so nervous about having someone over to the house in a long, long time.

As I looked out my attic window to the path I took whenever I headed into town, I saw my brother and sister with Shay and, to my surprise, Gist. Artemis, who was on the balcony, chattered happily and paced back and forth.

I could just barely hear my brother say, "Gentlemen, welcome to our homestead." I shrunk back inside my attic when I saw Shay look up at the top of the house where my window was. I felt myself trembling and wobbling at the ankles. __Just calm down, Ellie; he's just a man, albeit a handsome one at that.__

Just then, I heard a barrage of footsteps followed by the door opening and a boisterous commotion. I hurried out of my attic room, went down the stairs to second floor and saw the living room, overflowing with our staff, my siblings, and Shay and Gist with their backs to the staircase.

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Master Cormac." My butler complimented. "I am Geoffrey, this is my wife, Dorothea. Next to you are our stablehands, Mr. Anton and Mr. Gideon. And next to me is our cook, William. We are all very pleased to meet you at last. Our lady of the house has told us so much about you. And who is your plus one, if you don't mind?"

"This is Christopher Gist, an old friend and my first mate." Shay said. "I hope you don't mind my bringing him here to your home."

"Not at all, Mister Cormac," Dorothea said. ""Any friend of Elizabythe's is a friend of ours. Miss Freya's made sure that you had a great feast, Captain."

Shay smiled. "How much did my lass tell you about me?"

"Enough for us to get an ear-full."

"Dory, behave." Geoffrey muttered.

"So, we still have some things to do for dinner tonight, so just make yourselves at home. Call me or my wife should you require anything."

"Miss Freya has invited you both to stay with us during your stay here in New York." Dorothea said to Shay and Gist.

"Well, I must say," Gist said this loud enough to echo. "The lady sure know how to look after company."

"Of course she does," Geoffrey said. "She had to learn it from her Father. She never really enjoyed party-planning, that is Seraphine's forte."

"So, Mister Gist, how about you and me take our horses out for a little walk?" Seraphine was always the straight-shooter. She set her sights on someone and she never stops. She takes the gloves off, strutting her stuff and using her more seductive charm to leave a man weak in the knees.

"Oh, that's not fair; how can I say 'no' to a lovely lady like yourself?"

"You can't, Mister Gist." Sera said, grabbing his loose necktie. "Follow me."

Shay chuckled at Sera's flirting with Gist. "Have fun, Master Gist…That's an order." Gist laughed at him.

"Yes, sir!"

As he said his goodbyes to his friend who was swept away by my sister, I saw him turn his body to leave, so I quietly rushed back into my room. __UGH, why? Why am I panicking so much?! Just calm down. Like they all said, how dangerous could it be? I was at home, safe and sound. I had the whole rest of my family here. I was the happiest I've ever been in my life. Why is it so hard to let my guard down in front of Shay Cormac?__

I was almost done, consoling myself and trying to calm down when I heard Shay's footsteps, scurrying upstairs, down the hallway and stopped at my stairs.

"Elizabythe?"

"I'm here, Shay," I said, walking away from my window and looking to see Shay finish ascending the stairs.

__Here's your chance. Lower your walls. Just go over and hug him. Kiss him. Do something, dammit! __

As I heard his footsteps get closer, they stopped. He must be right behind me. I sighed and turned around to face him. I know I must've looked distressed and panicked. My whole body was trembling , my eyes were starting to form tears and my throat was shutting up tighter than an oyster.

Shay closed the 3-foot gap between us and brushes away my tears with his thumbs. "What's wrong, Elizabythe?"

"I have noticed…something diff'rent about you, Shay. Your constant smiling, your overly mushy compliments, you…being so close to me…the lengths you've gone to just to see me. I've never had someone make that kind of effort in…a long time. My relationships were short-lived. And unrequited. Yearning for someone to love, but not having those same intimate feelings given back, I-I'm scared of what will happen to us if…if you did want to be with me. Unless, you have changed your mind about us-"

"NO!" Shay nearly said it in a yell, then he sighed. "No, Elizabythe. My feelings for you have not vanished. I do want to be with you. I want to be close to you, if you'll let me."

"W-what d'you mean, 'if'?"

Shay brought me in closer, wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me so that his mouth was next to my ear. "Your scared of being rejected. Scared of change, something bad happening. Believe me, lass, I'm just as scared as you are. But, I'm here now. You can let go of your fear. You mean a lot to me, that's something that will never change…Remember that."

"Shay…?"

"Yes…"

"I can't describe the feelings I have for you. I can barely find the words for them myself, unless I ask-"

"Ask me what?" He pulled his head back to face me again.

"All I ask if for you to be honest. Tell me the truth, and mean it."

"Elizabythe….?"

"Tell me how you really feel about the kiss we shared."

"I felt…relief. I had been waiting to do it for a long time, but I couldn't find the right time. But that kiss, it….it left me wanting more. More of you….I apologize for forcing you to kiss me. It was disrespectful and I'm sorry. I did not mean to pressure you."

"Thank you…Shay."

I felt his left arm shift up and his hand on the side of my neck. "Elizabythe?"

Shay seemed like he was unsure, like he wanted to ask me something. But I soon saw what was the matter. He was at a loss for words. He was moistening his lips. He wants me to kiss him again. __Just lower your guard, listen to your heart. Let your emotions take over….__

I leaned in and pressed my lips firmly to his, holding myself up with my arms around his neck. I heard Shay moan as his tension subsided. I kissed him, over and over again as much as I could; Shay followed suit and turned me against the wall, pressing his warm hands into my neck and waist. I slowed down more and more until I forced myself to part from his lips.

Shay was in complete awe. "You…kissed me."

"That is what you wanted…right?"

"More than anything…."

Only one word came to mind as he told me this.__It cannot be. Is this really what I feel for him? Go on, Ellie. Just say it.__

"Shay….I love you…"

My panic slowly started to come back again with every second I stood in complete silence.

"Elizabythe…." He mumbled and leaned in towards my ear again. "I love you, too."

I snapped my head up and stared at him in shock. It felt like I had lost my voice. I felt my face get warm and burst into tears again.

As he pulled me in for another passionate kiss, I felt him move me away from the wall and lift me up onto my attic window's shelf. Now I was at eye level and sitting upright as he lead this passionate kiss. I felt his lips part from mine as he leaned down and began to kiss my neck. I felt the kissing stop when he got past my neck. He turned his head and placed his ear on my chest, then looked up at me. I was breathless, shaking like a leaf.

"Your heart's racing like a horse." Shay said.

"Don't worry 'bout it. I'll be okay."

Suddenly, I heard the shuffling of plates and wine glasses.

"Sounds like supper's ready." I said.

"Then let's not keep them waiting for us." Shay picked me up in his arms and walked down the stairs. I saw the others gathering in the kitchen but I didn't see Sera or Gist, until I heard the front door.

"That was a beautiful trail, Sera."

"One of my favorites," Sera said, then she turned and saw Shay and I walking hand in hand. "Well, Gist, it looks like weren't the only lovebirds spending time together."

"Sera, don't start with me."

"Too late, I just did."

"Seraphine, don't be nosy." Hunter said. "C'mon, we have to get the food set out in the dining room."

"Oh, fine; I'm coming!" Sera gave Gist a quick peck on the cheek. "We'll talk a little bit later." She then winked at him.

I saw Gist smile and chuckle under his breath, turning his face away. He was blushing.

"She is a bit of a handful, huh?"

"She's a very pretty woman. So confident, brave, fiery…but also has a big heart. Sera is just…unbelievable."

"Well, everyone, supper is finally ready!" Geoffrey announced as the 3 of us walked through the living room and across to the dining room.

As we all took a seat, I saw that William had made roasted turkey, corn on the cob, greens, toasted bread, carrots and roasted potatoes with herbs and spices. Glasses of wine were poured for us as we all conversed and ate our savory feast. Shay talked about how he acquired the __Morrigan __Captain Louis-Joseph's ship was stolen and his men stranded. He then brought up what had happened to the Assassin Order he used to be a part of and why he was now busy hunting them down. I had told my family what had happened after I was left for dead and I woke up in Shay Cormac's quarters on his ship. He mentioned how he gave up a chunk of his captain duties to watch over me and make sure I was warming up and getting better.

"You are a very attentive and sensitive, young man," Dorothea said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Steele."

"So, Hunter, have you heard of the possible whereabouts of my ship and James?" I asked him.

"Not a thing, Ellie. I nearly had him one night a few months ago. I saw him in a pub and gave chase until the bastard shot me in my leg. I haven't heard about him or seen the ship since then."

"Luckily, this all happened just near my bookshop," Sera said. "So I helped get him to a doctor."

"Oh, Miss Freya, why don't you tell Shay about your bet you made with Mr. Anton awhile back?" Timothy said.

"Oh, good God." I saw Shay laugh slightly at my discomfort. "I challenged him to a game of cards. If I won, he had to give up his bottle of spiced rum, aged 15 years. Worth a pretty penny. If he won, he and Timothy could take 2 weeks off from work and I would do their duties. After playing three games, I emerged victorious."

"I only showed you how to play poker twice," Anton said. "You just happened to pull a good pair of cards from the deck. That was just luck."

"I make my own luck, Samuel." I told him.

"AHA!" Gist exclaimed. "You too are perfect for each other!"

"I am sorry…?" I excused myself.

"Shay says that, too." Gist said. "Doesn't 'get lucky'. He makes his own luck, don't 'ya Shay?'

"That's right, I do."

"Only downside was I ended up passing out after only 3 shots of that rum."

"You were only 18, sis." Sera said. "You had zero tolerance for it."

"Father was quick to fix that little problem." I said.

After our fruit and specially made dutch apple and pumpkin pie was brought out for dessert, our cook spoke up. "So, Master Cormac, Mister Gist, how long will you two gentleman be staying in New York for?" William asked.

"I'm taking a break from my work to spend my time with Elizabythe." Shay said without hesitation. "I've done a lot of work these past few months. So I figured I'd give everyone a chance to get a good rest before I leave again."

"Well, isn't that sweet?" Dorothea commented.

"Sounds like old Allistair, doesn't it?" Gideon asked.

"Sure does, Tim." Anton said. "He always made time for his family, not matter how busy he was. His priorities came first, Shay; family above all others. Emilly made sure of that."

"I sailed with Father more than Sera or Hunter." I commented. "Hunter mostly stayed home. He got seasick very easily. Sera hasn't sailed at all."

"Oh, and why is that?" Gist asked.

I hushed my voice. "She can't swim."

"LIZZIE…!" Sera hissed at me.

"Sera, don't be embarrassed about it. It was years ago, when you fell over that cliff. Maybe Gist here can teach you how to swim…."

"I wouldn't mind that," Christopher said cheerfully. "How 'bout we try tomorrow, it'll be just the two of us."

"Ooooooh, fine. I'll try," Sera said, faking a smile for him. Then she turned and shot me a glare. "You little bitch."

"Pot, meet Kettle. Haha."

After everyone dispersed, Geoffrey and William took care of the food and put it away while Anton and Gideon cleaned the dining area. Dorothea took the liquor back to the cellar.

Sera and Gist went off on another escapade, as it were. I took Shay out to the stables to see our horses. Zeus and Samson were our brown draft horses. My horse, named Isabella, was dapple gray in color. I braided her mane and tail to keep them clean. Sera's horse, Shadow was all black with a white dot mark on its forehead. And my Father's horse, Dusty, was buckskin, a cream-tan color with black hair for its mane and tail.

"Our horses stay in here at night. Due to an attack by a few wolves, we have to keep it locked." I mentioned.

"Which one's yours?" Shay asked.

"I'll show you." I smirked. "Bella, honey! Where are you?" I whistled and saw my horse hang her head over the stable door and snorted at me, bobbing her head up and down. "There she is."

Shay and I went all the way down the stable to the last one on the right. Isabella smelled my hair and nickered at me. I unlocked her stall, took her rope lead and lead her out of the stall, so that she was standing next to me and across from Shay.

"Wow…she's beautiful." Shay said, taking a step closer to my horse, who seemed to get uneasy and started backing up towards the wall. She made short whinnies and a few low snorts as she pinned her ears back.

"Ssssssh, calm down, Bella." I said, pulling her hackamore down to my level. "This is Shay Cormac. He's a friend. He's a Templar, like daddy, remember?"

She nudged my face with her muzzle. "It's okay, Bella."

I dropped the lead entirely and let this happen on its own. "Shay, hold out your hand. Stretch your arm out."

Shay took a firm stance and obeyed, raising his arm out with his hand out.

I patted Bella's shoulder twice. "Now, just let her come to you."

Isabella took a few steps, sniffing his hand from a distance before closing the gap and brushing Shay's hand with her muzzle.

"Good girl, Isabella." Shay said, petting her forehead and caressing her large snout and cheeks. "You're a pretty lass, aren't you?"

Isabella then lowered her head and placed her left ear under Shay's hand.

"Awww, she wants you to scratch behind her ears."

"That's why she's doing this?" He asked as Bella snorted impatiently.

"Go on, just give her a nice scratchin'."

Shay scratched both her ears vigorously and I saw my horse's tongue flop out slightly as she sighed.

Suddenly, i felt a sharp pain go through my leg and shoulder. My muscles are still sore from being torn by bullets and were still healing.

"Aaargh."

"Are you alright?" Shay asked.

"Just residual pain from my bullet wounds. But I know a place I can treat this." I took steps on a stool and got on Isabella's back. "Care to join me, Shay?"

"Where are we goin'?"

"You'll find out soon enough, now c'mon."

Shay got onto Isabella's back with me. She was a larger, more heavily muscled horse; she was accustomed to heavy loads.

"Hold on tight, Shay."

After he wrapped his arms around my waist, I had Isabella ride north, through the woods until we came to a large cave that was carved out of the cliff side. I tied Isabella to a nearby tree and had Shay follow me through the caves. We went further and further into the cave, and the air got warmer and more moist. Then, Shay saw why I had to come here.

It was a natural hot spring my Father found years ago while he was looking for a plot of land to build his house. He ended up finding this cave and the hot spring. There were 3 pools, 2 one either side of one another and the smaller of the two being elevated on a rock plateau. The smallest of the 3 only fit 2 people and was off to the side.

"What is this place?"

"It's a hot spring." I said, setting my things down. "It helps me heal faster. Hot water makes the blood in your body flow much more easily."

"It's incredible."

"After my Father found this, by accident, he bought the house we have now and did the work himself. This was his favorite place to relax with my Mother."

As he was wandering around, I undressed myself and set my dress and undergarments aside. I took out my bun and let my hair down before walking over to the plateaued pool. Shay turned his face away hastily.

"Shay…?"

"You're naked."

"So? What's the point? You've already seen my body, remember?"

"That was different."

"Shay, you don't have to turn away anymore."  
I walked over to him and helped him to lighten up. "I brought you here so we could spend time together. Alone...Please join me, Shay."

Shay smiled warmly and started to take off his clothes. I left him to it and submerged myself in the hot pool of water. The pain intensified for a moment, then subsided. Shay took off his heavy coat, weapons, gloves and began to undress his underclothes. By now, he was fully naked.

My eye caught sight of his manhood, so I averted my eyes and tried to concentrate on his face, but my eyes wandered and I was in shock. Shay's body was perfectly muscled and toned. There were a few scars like mine and he had really dark chest hair. He stepped down into the pool and the water came up to my chest just over my breasts.

Shay moaned contently as the steam wafted over us. "This is very nice."

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Sure does, lass."

I felt around the pool and saw a slightly elevated ledge where I could sit. I got up onto it and saw the water level drop until it was just under my breasts.

As Shay looked back at me, he seemed entranced by me. "Oh, Elizabythe…"

I saw him stare at me more and more, so I wrapped my arm around my breasts. ""What is it?"

"It's you…."

As he walked closer, I wrapped my other arm around my stomach and closed my legs tightly. "I know, Shay…Pretty gruesome, isn't it?"

"No, its not…" He said firmly as he got up to my eye level. "There is nothing gruesome about your body, my love."

"But my…scars, they're ugly."

He brushed his fingers over my shoulder wound. "They're your battle scars. They're only skin-deep."

"They don't bother you?"

"No, and they shouldn't bother YOU….Elizabythe, you're a beautiful lass. And I love you for who you are, just the way you are."

He gave me a kiss and wrapped his arms around me. "Thank you, Shay."

As we kissed again, I felt my body loosen up and relax from the hot water and his warm, gentle touch. He kissed my neck and left several, passionate love bites as he ran his hands over my body. He gently held one of my breasts with his his free hand and squeezed, making me gasp and whimper.__Oh, no…I can feel where this is headed. Is he going to try and…make love to me?__

As his hand held and squeezed my other breast, he then let his hand submerge underwater and grip my thigh with the pistol wound. I let out a whimper through my teeth when his thumb pressed into it.

"Aaaaah…Shay?"

He loosened his grip on my leg. "I'm sorry…d-did I hurt you?"

"No. No, I'm okay."

As I kissed him back and held his face in my hands, I felt his right hand slide upwards and between my legs. He was looking for that pleasurable bead of flesh that set my nerves on fire and made my heart race.

As his fingers started to brush the little bud of flesh, I felt myself moaning more and more until I snapped out of my orgasm and felt my fear and panic overwhelm me again. "Shay…Shay! Please…Stop."

I grabbed his hand and moved out of the corner I put myself in. I took a few deep breaths and rested my arms on the edge of the pool.

Shay slowly approached me, with a concerned frown on his face.

"I'm sorry, Shay," I said, crossing my arms over my breasts again.

Shay approached me slowly. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to do that….I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, you're fine. It just felt…a little different, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

"I have never been touched there before." I mumbled. "I've never laid with any man before, Shay…."

He took a few steps back, realizing finally why I had panicked at his sexual gesture. "Oh, I see now….You're a virgin."

"Yes…yes, I am." I said, averting my eyes. "I have had the talk, but…I've never laid with a man. SO many men have thrown themselves at me, but I have never wanted any of them….Then, YOU came along. And….now that I found someone to love and commit to, I-I panicked. I didn't know what to expect."

I felt Shay's hands shift from my shoulders to my neck and lower back.

"Lass, look at me. If you're not ready to lay with me, then I am willing to wait for you to tell me when you're ready. I don't want to pressure you or force you to lay with me until you're ready to try with me."

"Shay, aside from my own family…there is no one else I know that I trust more than you. You need not worry about making me uncomfortable. I get nervous, yes, but never uncomfortable. I won't keep you waiting too long. I just need time to process this…."

"Of course, my love….I'll be here for you."

I wrapped him in a gentle hug, with my arms around his neck and his around my waist and upper back. I squeezed him as tightly as I could and he responded with a firm, secure one.

When we got back home, I planned to do a lot of writing that night. I needed to de-stress and get my feelings out on paper. It helped me to process my emotions easier and helps calm me down. Shay ended up sleeping on the couch by the fire. I couldn't help but smile and laugh as I looked out my window and saw Gist and Sera, kissing passionately under a tree by the stables.


	11. Captain's Journal Entry 7

Captain's Journal Entry

7

Gist and Sera grew on each other very quickly. I was happy for her; like me, she had trouble finding a loyal partner, too. I, on the other hand, have been very unlucky. I had met man after man, and each of them, needless to say, only saw me for my body and nothing else. So, after awhile, I stopped trying. I accepted the fact that I may not be able to find someone.

Sera has had some luck, but no better than mine.

Then, Shay Patrick Cormac came into my life. I never stood a chance. The walls I put up around me never stood a chance. I would trust him with my life and yet, I hesitate to lay with him. He rescued me and nursed me back to health after my ship's mutiny, yet I panic at the chance him, making love to me.

He knows what betrayal feels like. The Assassins betrayed him by messing with a Precursor site and leveling Lisbon, Portugal. He swore to stay his blade from the flesh of the innocent. He's been hurt, even more so than me. He wouldn't do the same to me. Physical intimacy is the last wall I have put up between Shay and I. Once I did lay with him, my life is an open book to him. I commit to him. What's mine is his. He's the most trustworthy person I have met in my life.

Father wanted me to be happy, even after his death. He wanted me to end up like he and Mother: happily married and having a family together.

I have read enough erotic books, been to enough brothels and spoken to my sister, Sera, way too much to not be prepared to lay with a man. But I promised Father I would only lay with a man that I loved and promised myself to. Sadly, he was murdered before he could meet Shay.

What would Father say to him? Probably sit him down, have an ale and do 20 questions. Father said you never really know a man until he's been drinking. The filter is removed. You see the man behind the mask, then you can ask the real questions and find out who you're really dealing with.

Shay and I have talked to one another while drunk, and he seem to like to talk more than I do. But everything was checking out. He told the truth, drunk or sober. All he had said was he had feelings for one of his mentors, Hope Jensen, but nothing was really going on between them. Also mentioned that he had been to a few whorehouses, but that's typical. If a man hasn't gone to a brothel, he's either a eunuch, not ready or likes men and not women. Or they've just been living under a rock like an insect.

He's already seen me naked. Twice. I trust him more than anyone I have ever met. We have been together for several months, why not make the final leap of faith and lay with him? Give him the chance to physically show how much I mean to him….

Well, I'll tell him in a day or two. For now, I need to focus on what to get Shay for Christmas coming up in a week or so. Geoffrey and everyone else is taken care of. My butler loves a good pipe or box of tobacco or cigars. Dorothea likes handmade stuff, I got that taken care. Anton and Gideon loved their booze, so I got them a few special bottles Hunter had found for me at his work. William liked reading, so I bought him a few books and a few nice outfits.

Sera was getting some nice dresses I had found in the market and Hunter was getting a bow and quiver I had made myself, carved with our names on it. But I did not know what I could get Shay. I'll have to take a trip into town and do a little shopping for him.


	12. Chapter 11

Today was a perfect day to do my Christmas shopping for Shay. He was called away for something important, said that it would take all day. Gist left with him as well, Geoffrey and the others had their day off today, so I had the entire house to myself. Geoffrey and Dorothea were in upstate New York, running errands. William was food shopping. So, I grabbed my belongings, got some money from my stash I kept hidden under my bed and left immediately.

Sera and Hunter were at the bookstore and library, straightening up the place, organizing books, getting rid of old ones, the usual stuff Sera normally did by herself. As I was walking through town, I came across the marketplace. Dozens of shops and booths were open. The baker, butcher, some farmers, some men selling their best ales and hard liquors and someone that sold jewelry. Looked very nicely handmade.

A few rings with gemstones caught my eye, but none really suited for a man. Shay didn't wear jewelry. So, I got myself a pair of earrings, a necklace and pair of bracelets and moved on to the next booth. I kept looking and looking until I did several circles around the market. I want to get something practical for him, something he would use every day. Maybe a new weapon for his arsenal. Then I remembered my family's crest that was made for us. It had a mermaid holding a pearl in a clam. Shay is part of my family now, why not show it that way and make it official? Everyone in our family or close to our family had a crest. I should have thought of this before I left the house.

I stopped by Sera's bookstore and wrote a message for Artemis to take to the Colonel. I had important business to discuss, so I wrote:

Colonel George Monro,

I apologize if this letter finds you on short notice, but there is no one else I trust more to share this sensitive information with.

As you well know, James Locke Macintosh has taken my ship and I intend to take back what's mine. What I have left to tell you cannot be told in detail in this letter. So I will need to speak with you in person.

Please meet me at my house just outside of town at your earliest convenience. Geoffrey and Dorothea Steele will be there to welcome you into our abode. I look forward to your visit post-haste.

Thank you and take care.

Yours Truly,

Elizabythe Annabell Freya

As I walked out of town and started to delve into the woods, I whistled for Artemis and she found me within a few minutes. She made a high-pitched call before she perched on a nearby tree stump.

"Artie, take this and deliver it to the Colonel quickly."

I took the hard, cylindrical case and detached it from Artemis's harness. Then I tucked my letter into it and reattached it to her. And then she took off back into the sky.

As I watched my eagle soar away, I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me.

"That's a beautiful bird you got there."

I turned around and, about 15 feet away from me, I saw a tall man dressed in a gray hooded coat, leather gloves, white shirt, dark pants and leather boots. He took off his white hood and the man had an oval face of light complexion with a square jaw and bald head.

"Uuuhh…thank you, mister…"

"Are you alone out here?…Hmmm, that's not good. You should never walk home alone." He kept walking closer to me.

"I think I can handle myself….how do you know I'm alone? Were you following me home? Tell me who you are right now before I slit your throat." I kept a firm grip on my sword and pair of daggers.

"I don't think so." The man managed to slap me forcefully, throwing me off balance. I tried to reach for my daggers, but he gripped my dominant left arm, squeezed it tightly and folded it behind my back. He took his other free hand, grabbed my throat and held me against a tree behind me. "You're in no position to be making threats, lady."

"You're not dealing with a mere lady, you bastard." I gasped. "I am Elizabythe Freya, daughter of Allistair Freya and captain of the Siren's Wrath."

He inched his face closer to mine with an evil smirk.

"Aaaha, so you are his daughter….Why would he entrust a Piece of Eden to a mere child?"

"Well, you are shit out of luck today. I don't have this "Piece of Eden" you're looking for."

"Don't lie to me, you bitch!"

He tightened his grip on my neck, choking me for a few agonizing moments as I struggled to pry his fingers off my throat. I saw him divert his attention from me down to my breasts, then diverted again to my waist, where I kept my journal bound to my belt.

"Hmmm, what have we here?"

He then clenched his other fist and then, I really started to panic. It was a hidden blade. He was an Assassin.

"You're an Assassin…." I said hoarsely.

He smirked at me while cutting my journal free from my belt.

He squeezed even tighter, making me reach for his arm with both my hands. "STOP! Don't! PUT THAT…DOWN!"

He managed to flip to my most recent entry. "Hmmm, Shay is in love with you. He LOVES you…? Oh, this changes everything…."

"GIVE. ME. THAT. RIGHT NOW!"

"Not until I get what I came here for."

"I told you already. I DON'T HAVE IT!"

"Then either you tell me where you put it or Shay will find you with your throat sliced from ear to ear."

"NEVER!" I pushed off from the tree and nailed the man in his groin, making him lose his grip on my throat. I finally drove my dagger into his shoulder, making him fall to the ground. I took my journal and made a run for my homestead.

"You will pay for this, ELIZABYTHE!"

I heard gunshots go off and a loud groan. He must have been in too much pain to shoot any more. Then I heard one more shot go off and felt something graze my abdomen where James's pistol shot me during the mutiny.

I looked back for a split second before I tripped over something and fell over a hill, rolled downwards and splashed into a small river that ran through the woods. I felt my leg hit the rocks at the bottom of it. I got soaked up to my abdomen, so I quickly scrambled out of the water and onto the dry grass.

I gripped my side in agony as I tried to get to my feet, but I felt like I was being weighed down with something heavy. I knew that feeling all too well. I was losing blood.

I looked at my hand and it was drenched in dark red blood, dripping from my hand and abdomen into the grass and dirt.

I started to breathe faster as my panic and anxiety overwhelmed me. It was still about an hour until I got to my homestead. I was completely alone.

All I could do was let out a loud, long, excruciating scream and hope that someone would find me in time.

3rd Person Omniscient POV

After the Colonel received Artemis's letter from Elizabythe, he took a couple soldiers and horses and made a beeline for Elizabythe's homestead.

But his trip to her home was interrupted by a terrified, bloodcurdling scream that slightly spooked their horses.

"Who is that?" One of the soldiers asked.

"I do not know, private." Colonel replied. "But I'm going to find out. Let's move now!"

The Colonel urged his horse to head eastwards, hurrying more as the screaming got louder.

"Colonel, down there!" The left soldier said. "There's someone by the river."

"Looks like it's a woman, sir." The right soldier added.

The Colonel had his horse stop at the top of the sloped hill.

"Elizabythe Freya?"

His worst fear was realized when she rolled on her back and her body went limp and still. "Oh, dear God…"

The Colonel got off his horse and ran down the slope and across the shallow river. The other soldiers tied up the horses and followed after him.

"Elizabythe!?" Monro shouted to get her attention.

She sat up feebly and reached for her daggers.

"At ease, Miss Freya…" He held her hands and moved them away from her weapons. "It's just me."

She managed to open her eyes enough to see him clearly. "C-Colonel Monro, i-is that you?"

"Yes…it is me." Monro helped her to sit up against a nearby tree. "What in God's name happened to you?"

""I…He…came and…attacked me." She groaned. "He wanted my…."

As she sat upright more, she let out a painful cry and clutched her graze from the man's gunshot wound.

Monro placed a hand on her shoulder and held her back against the tree calmly and gently. "Take it easy, Elizabythe…."

"But, Colonel…." Her eyes were starting to roll as she struggled to stay awake. "He…wants…m..." She let out one last moan before passing out.

"Elizabythe….Elizabythe!?"

"Sir, the woman needs medical attention post-haste." The left soldier said.

"You're right….Don't worry, Miss Freya; I'll take care of you."

Colonel Monro wrapped one arm around her back and the other arm under her knees and picked her up off the ground. Then he carried her to his horse and handed her off to a soldier. He got on his horse and had his soldiers put her on one of the horses while they escorted him and Elizabythe out of the woods and back to his abode in New York.

After a hasty trip to his home, he tied up his horses and brought Elizabythe inside on his bed in the guest room he had set up.

"Corporal, you stay here with me. Private, I want you to seek out Shay Patrick Cormac down by the docks. Do not stop until you find him. Tell him to drop what he's doing and come to my home immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." Private saluted and ran out of the house.

"Corporal, make yourself useful. Bring me a first aid kit."

"Yes, Colonel."

Once he brought Monro the things he needed, he took out some milk of the poppy to numb her pain. "Elizabythe, here. Drink this…."

She parted her lips slightly and sipped it until it was empty.

"That should help with the pain…" Monro said.

Elizabythe took in a deep breath. "Where am I?"

"At my home in New York. You're safe now, Miss Freya."

"Thank you, Colonel…."

"Corporal, hold her upright so we can bandage her wound."

After the soldier sterilized the wound with alcohol, he wrapped the gauze around her waist, covering the gunshot wound and securing it tightly to stop the bleeding.

"Sir, it looks like this wound was here before her incident." Corporal said.

"That was…from my mutiny." Elizabythe muttered.

"James shot you, didn't he?"

Elizabythe nodded. "Yes….Now its been…reopened."

"Don't worry, Elizabythe. I take care of my own, you're in good hands."

"What were you doing out in the woods?" She said, pushing past her pain and utter exhaustion.

"I was actually on my way to see you." Monro said. "I got your letter from your eagle, you said you needed to see me immediately."

"Yes, that's…right. I'll have to talk to you once I am feeling better."

"Not a problem, Elizabythe."

The Private he sent off to find Shay came pounding at the door. The Corporal quickly answered it. "Good job, Private."

"I came as soon as I heard." Shay said hastily. "Where is she?"

"She is in the guest room with Monro. Come inside and make yourself at home. I'll inform him that you're here."

"Thank you."

The Corporal walked briskly through the door and stepped quietly. "Colonel, he's here."

"Send him in, Corporal."

"Yes, sir." He walked back out and showed Shay to the door.

"Elizabythe…?"

"Hmmm…?"

"You have a visitor."

"Who is it…?" Elizabythe asked, sitting up and looking towards the door as Shay walked in briskly.

"Elizabythe…!" Shay hurried to her bedside.

"Shay!" She moaned, gritting her teeth through the pain as he hugged her gently and gave her a kiss. "I thought you had an errand today."

"I finished early," Shay said. "I was on my way back to your homestead when the Colonel summoned me."

"Well, I am glad that you're still in one piece."

"Master Cormac, we have some things to discuss."

"What is it, Colonel?"

"I got a letter from Artemis to meet Miss Freya at her home when I found her near a river. She was bloody and nearly unconscious."

"Who's done this to her?" Shay growled vengefully.

"She hasn't told me yet." Monro replied.

Suddenly, Elizabythe let out a painful grunt as she sat upright in bed. "Colonel, Shay, I was running an errand and heading home. Artemis sent my letter and that's when I heard him compliment on my eagle. I questioned why he was following me and threatened to kill him if he didn't and he started to choke me. He knows who I am and he was looking for my….my…"

Elizabythe glanced at Shay. She hadn't said anything about her Apple to him yet, but the Colonel sighed; he knew exactly why this man attacked me.

"Your what?" Shay grew impatient and anxious. "What was he looking for?"

"I….uh, I cannot tell you, Shay. I'm sorry."

"Elizabythe, please! Please tell me. Don't you trust me?"

"I do, but this is really important. I don't want to drag you into this."

"Miss Freya." The Colonel held my other hand and held my gaze. "Shay is genuine. It is obvious that he loves and care for you more than anyone else he knows. I trust this man with my life, Miss Freya. You should tell him now…."

She moaned fearfully and sighed, nodding her head. "Shay….this man attacked me because he wanted my Apple. My father entrusted me with a Piece of Eden that's been in our family for several years. My father hid this Apple somewhere on his ship, with someone on his ship. I told this man I didn't have it and he thought I was lying. So he choked me even more until he got a hold of my journal. He read it….He knows about you, Shay. He knows you're in love with me. He knows that you love me, Shay. I told him to let me go and he threatened to slit my throat if I didn't tell him where the Apple was. He was an Assassin."

"That bastard…." Shay cursed.

"I finally kicked him and stabbed his shoulder before running away. He shot me, multiple times. His last shot grazed my wound from the mutiny. Then I fell down a hill and into the river. I screamed as loud as I could before I passed out….I'm just glad you found me, Colonel. Thank you for saving my life."

"Of course." Monro nodded.

"Do you know the name of this Assassin?" Shay asked.

"No….But he wore a gray coat with a white hood. Fair skin, bald head, square jaw, oval face. Oh, he wore a red plaid tie and sash."

"Liam O'Brien…?!" Shay's eyes lit up with fury.

"Wasn't he your friend and your first mate?" Elizabythe asked.

"Yes, he was. But not anymore….!" Shay slammed his fist angrily into the wall. "He lays a finger on you again, I swear, I'll kill him!"

"This Liam must have been told about the Apple from someone that's already looking for it." Monro pointed out.

"James…!" I growled. "He switched sides. He's sided with the Assassins. He doesn't have the resources to hunt me down anymore, so he went to the Assassin Order, seeking help and vengeance…..Monro, that's what I needed to talk to you about. James is actively hunting me down now. I need to acquire a ship and a hard-working crew to get my ship back and find the Apple before James finds it and takes it to the Assassins."

"I would be happy to assist you, Elizabythe, however, I don't think James will be on the Siren's Wrath when you find it."

"W-w-what do you mean, he won't be on my ship?"

"I am afraid that something bad has happened to your Father's ship."

Elizabythe quickly stood up and asked him again. "Colonel, what are you talking about?"

He just stood silent and stared at her. Her mind wandered aimlessly until she realized what he was implying. The worst fate her Father's ship could have…."My Father's ship is….gone?!"

"Shipwrecked….there was a terrible storm this morning in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. James abandoned ship and so did his crew."

Elizaythe gasped and started to hyperventilate. "No, not the Siren….No, no, no! It cannot be, it cant be! Its not true. No, Colonel. That's impossible."

"Miss Freya…"

"No, no, no, no, no, no…! It's my fault…"

"It's not your fault, lass," Shay consoled her. "There was nothing you could've done. Don't condemn yourself. It'll be alright…."

Suddenly, Elizabythe erupted into loud cries and a river of tears. She buried her face in his coat and muffled her sobbing.

The Colonel walked slowly up behind Elizabythe and laid his hand on her back. "I am sorry for your loss, Miss Freya."

Elizabythe stopped crying for a moment and turned to face Monro. "Thank you, Colonel…."

"I know it'll be awhile before you go sailing again. Your Father loved his ship very much."

"Yes, he did. It was a great frigate."

"Did you still want my assistance, Elizabythe?" The Colonel asked.

"Oh, yes….Do you think you could take me to my ship?" She asked. "My Father hid my Piece of Eden on his ship somewhere. I need to find it before James does. If he takes it to the Assassins, it's all over."

"I would love to, but unfortunately, I have important business to attend to at Fort William Henry. My men are fighting a losing battle if I do not go there and assist them."

"Oh, I see. Well, about finding me another ship, feel free to take your time. If you find something worthy of replacing the Siren's Wrath, let me know."

"Of course, Elizabythe."

"I'll help you find your ship." Shay said, causing Elizabythe to turn back to him again. "Come with me on the Morrigan. You can sail with me."

"Shay, no. Please, I-I couldn't-"

"I insist." Shay said calmly, grabbing her waist and bringing her in close.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded silently.

"Alright….Colonel, I'm ready to return home. Think you could give us an escort?"

"Absolutely." And with that, the Colonel walked out of the room and said something to his men, causing them to turn and walk out the front door….

Later that same evening….

Elizabythe's POV

Our house looked abandoned. The horses were silent as death. The livestock we had were missing. The crops were gone. The lights weren't on inside the house and there was not a soul to be found.

"Oh, no…." I had a bad feeling something was wrong.

"What is it, lass?"

I took off running towards the front patio. I ran around the perimeter of it and William was not at his usual chair. So I quickly ran inside, barely leaving enough time for Shay to catch up with me.

I threw the door open. It was completely dark.

"HELLO?! ANYONE HOME?!" I screamed as loudly as I could.

"Miss Freya? Is that you, dear?"

It was Geoffrey, jogging as he came in from the kitchen.

"What happened here?" I asked him frantically. "Where is everyone?"

"It's a long story, Elizabythe."

"I'm sure I can keep up, Mister Steele."

"Firstly, Hunter was working as usual. Then, a woman came in and asked him about you. He told her that he didn't know where you were since he left before you did. She asked where she lived. Then Hunter saw her necklace had an Assassin symbol. Hunter refused to tell her anything. She pulled a knife on him, he pulled a gun on her and threatened to shoot her down if she hurt you. She shot him with her gun and told him that he would regret turning down a lady like her and poisoned him with something unusual. Luckily, the missus and I were at the pub, getting a bite to eat when we saw this unfold. He's been at the doctor's since this afternoon."

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked.

"Fortunately, yes. The apothecary didn't have an antidote that could reverse it until he found some charcoal. It's doing wonders for him."

"If you don't mind my asking, Geoffrey, what did this woman look like?" Shay asked my guardian.

"Hunter told me she had red hair and a lavish, purple dress."

"Hope Jensen!" Shay gritted his teeth.

"One of your other Mentors?" I asked.

"Yes, my love." Shay said.

"They all know about my Apple of Eden. It gives power to the Precursor sites. If they get their hands on this, then-"

"They're not going to." Shay cut me off. "They leveled Lisbon. I won't let them do it again."

"That goes double for me." I said.

"There's something else, too." Geoffrey interrupted us. "Sera's hurt, too."

"And what happened to her?"

"She said that some man in a blue coat with a french accent confronted her about Elizabythe and her Piece of Eden. He threatened her, too, but she ended up fighting him off for a short time. Gist heard her screams and got her to safety. Anton and Gideon took the french man away."

"Chevalier," Shay growled.

"You mean Captain Louis-Joseph Gauthier assaulted my sister?"

"You know Chevalier?" Shay asked her.

"My Father had a few close calls with him. My Father hated his guts. Chevalier saw me a few times. He is an arsehole."

"Gist helped get her to the Morrigan for help." Geoffrey said. "She had some bad cuts on her back, arms and legs. She's with Hunter, recuperating. Her bookstore and library are closed until further notice. Guards are protecting it."

"It's obvious that I am a high-priority target now." I said to myself. "We stay here anymore, we'll be sitting ducks to them. We need to pack up."

"I'm on it, Miss Freya." Geoffrey replied. "Anton and Gideon have gathered our livestock, crops and our food and had it taken to our summer house by the lake. The Colonel sent a group of men to give them an escort. A few neighbors and friends from town have helped to pack us up. We can get our belongings out of here first thing in the morning."

"I didn't ask the Colonel for that kind of help." I mentioned.

"He said to thank 'Master Cormac'." Geoffrey winked at me.

"You asked him to do this?" I turned to Shay.

He nodded. "Yes, I did."

I threw my arms up around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you, Shay."

"Anything for you…Elizabythe."

"Thank you so much, Mister Steele." I said to him. "Now would you go into town and look after Hunter and Sera? Shay and I will stay here for the night."

"Of course." Steele said, nodding. "Did you hear anything about your Father's Piece of Eden?"

"My ship has been wrecked in the Northern Atlantic. The Siren's Wrath is gone. But Father said that he hid the Apple on the ship for me to find, so that's where I will be headed tomorrow. Monro gave me the location."

"How do you expect to get there without another ship?"

"Elizabythe will be with me, Mister Steele. I'll take my ship to find hers before the Assassins do."

"Thank you for assisting her, Master Cormac….Keep her safe."

"I always do." Shay pulled me in and hugged me close to his body. "She will be in good hands."

As Geoffrey opened the front door, he looked back at us one more time.

"Goodnight, Elizabythe. Goodnight, Shay."

"Goodnight, Mister Steele." I said, waving to him. "Sweet dreams."


	13. Captain's Journal Entry 8

Captain's Journal Entry

8

We are both exhausted. Shay looks beat, but he is still on alert, for me and for my house. Good guardian and protector, he is.

Am I ready to take that next step? There is no doubt in my mind now. I've made my choice. I'll ask him after we finish warming up by the fireplace.

I have asked those close to me about my feelings for Shay Cormac. Dorothea and Geoffrey have not seen a more trustworthy, more caring and more protective, young man since my Father passed, God rest his soul. They said that I had nothing to worry about. He will be attuned to my needs when it does happen. As far as for me, Dorothea said that I should take it slow and steady and don't do too much if I cant handle it or if I get scared.

Anton and Gideon both said that he has gone out of his way for me so many times that I need not worry about any ulterior motives because he would have done them already. But he hasn't.

William saw the connection Shay and I shared and he told me to cherish him and your time together and to never let him go.

Hell, I even spoke with the Colonel. It was very awkward for me, but I had to ask someone besides my family. The Colonel had summoned me to his home for a "private conversation". I asked him if something was wrong. He said that was not the case. "How are you and Master Cormac getting along?" He asked me. I told him, "I couldn't be happier, except…." I hesitated to come out and tell him. "May I confide in you on a personal matter, Colonel Monro?"

He told me that I could talk to him about anything. And honestly, I really could. Besides Mr. Steele, the Colonel was like a father figure to me. He and Father were very close.

"Colonel, a few days ago, Shay and I went to the hot springs cave. Just the two of us. We…shared an intimate moment, and I panicked."

He asked me how exactly I panicked. I told him that I could tell from his body language he wanted to express his love for me physically, and I shrunk away before it escalated.

"I see now. Did you tell him? Does Master Cormac know that you're….?"

"Yes, I did. Regrettably so." I felt uneasy telling him.

He told me that it was good of me to confess this to him. Honesty and transparency helps the two of us to build trust and brings us closer.

"Shay understood what was ailing me. He told me that he's willing to wait for my decision, Colonel."

Rarely did I ever see George Monro smile. Usually, I saw him with a concerned and often distressed look from all the burden he had. But this time, he did smile at me.

He was glad that Shay took that approach with me and that he didn't expect anything less from him. He commented that he has never seen Shay more content than how he was with me. I helped ground him and work through his issues the way he and Christopher Gist did.

I told him this: "I have thought about this alot, Colonel. I talked it over with my guardians and…I believe I'm ready to take this leap of faith. Do you have any…advice for me?"

Colonel Monro was taken aback. He had not thought I would discuss intimate matters with him. What he told me was that I should take things slow, one endeavor at a time, build up my confidence and don't do anything that I feel uncomfortable doing with or to Shay.

I also told him not to say a word to Shay. I wanted to surprise him.

"Your secret's safe with me, Ellie."

I smiled and blushed deep red when he said this. He almost never called me by my nickname unless it was in jest or when we were just talking casually over a few pints of ale.

Sera had told me that she was waiting until Christmas Eve as a surprise for Gist. He had told her that he was not trying to pressure her and that he would not lay with her unless she was ready for him. Great minds think alike.

Well, it's time for me to call it a night. It's a few minutes until midnight. Then it will be Christmas Eve. Perfect timing for me….


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

AUTHOR'S NOTE - THIS IS A LEMON/SMUT.

YOU WERE WARNED. ;-)

Elizabythe's POV

I put my Father's quill pens in water to clean them. I loved writing with his personal nibs. It helped me stay close to him. Writing helped keep him sane when he didn't have those closest to ground him. It helped me clear my head several times while sailing with Father on his ship.

I saw that his writing desk near the fire still had the picture I drew of him in his drawer. I looked at him and felt my chest tighten up, but I took a deep breath and stifled my tears.

"I miss you so much, Father. I wish you were still here. I need you now more than ever….I have finally found love, daddy. Shay Patrick Cormac. He is a Templar, too. He is so genuine, so caring…and protective. I think you would be pleased with him. You always wanted for me to find my own happiness, and I have. I see us having a future together, he and I. I may not have gotten everything I wanted, but you made sure I had what I needed: love. A loving family. You made time for us. Always. You never lost sight of what was important to you…and neither will I….Rest in Peace, Father. Love you always."

I crossed my heart and kissed his portrait before putting it back in the drawer. Suddenly, I felt a jolt to my system when I heard shuffling behind me.

Shay let out a drowsy groan and got to his feet, quickly turning his attention to me at my desk.

"Mornin', sleepyhead. Sleep well?"

"Sort of, kept hearin' 'ya write and talk."

"I didn't wake you, did I, love?"

"Not at all, lass."

"Well, it's past midnight. We better get some shut-eye."

I left my journal on a small shelf with a pair of wooden French-style doors so Shay couldn't snoop and read.

As I got up from my seat at the desk, Shay did a long, grunting stretch and yawned before rubbing his eyelids.

"Need help up the stairs, Sleeping Beauty?"

Shay hummed a chuckle as I put one arm around his waist and held his left arm over my shoulder with my other hand. It was a long flight of stairs since our ceiling were a bit taller than most.

"Alright, Shay, let's do this."

I helped him up the stairs, slowly but surely. I could smell a subtle scent of cologne or some sort of fragrance as the aroma from his chest swirled around me. I couldn't help, but take a strong whiff.

"Mmmm, that smells nice."

"I thought you'd like it, lass."

"Since when do you wear cologne?" I asked.

"Found some at the marketplace. Cedarwood, witch hazel, juniper berry, fir tree needles and a hint of something called 'amber-grease'."

I stopped abruptly in mid-step and snickered. "Honey, it's pronounced ambergris. The 's' is silent."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"I have no idea."

I finally got upstairs only to be greeted by another flight of stairs leading to my space in the attic. "Oh, Good Lord…!"

Shay, with a hint of smugness in his tone, he commented, "Forgot about these, didn't 'ya?"

"Hush, you," I growled.

"Don't get snippy with me, darlin'."

"Too late, I-" A yawn escaped my mouth before I could finish my comeback.

"Go on, little Ellie; go get ready for bed now."

"All right, then."

I walked up the stairs hastily and walked over to my wardrobe and it opened with a high-pitched creak. A thousand and one thoughts enter and exit my mind like an army of soldiers, one wave after another. Thought after thought. My anxiety was nearly about to peak. My breath was getting shakier.

I changed out of my coat and dress, tossing them into my basket Father made for me. I heard his footsteps get closer, so I quickly took off my stockings, put my boots away and got into my nightdress. I had my gaze fixed on my reflection in my wardrobe's mirror as I heard the clanging of Shay's weapons being taken off and set aside.

I took a deep, but shaky breath in and called out to him. "Umm…S-Shay?"

"Is something the matter…Elizabythe?"

"Y-y-yes…."

"Tell me then."

"You remember that one night we shared…?"

I heard Shay sit on my bed, so I turned and looked at him. "That night at the hot springs?"

"Of course I do. What about it?"

I slowly made my way over to my bed Shay sat on. "Ever since that night, I….I've been thinking about….The time we spent together…when you kissed me."

"Do you regret it?"

"No, no, no, n-n-n-no. Not at all. It's just what happened after we started kissing that sssc….ssscared me to death."

"Oh, that…I see it now."

"Shay…I am a virgin. I have told you this, and it meant the world to me when you said that you wanted to wait for me…"

"And I stand by what I said, love."

"Shay…you don't have to wait for me any longer." I said to him, taking out my butterfly comb and letting my hair flow and settle on my shoulder.

While caressing his cheek and jawline, I whispered seductively into his left ear, "I am ready for you…if you are ready for me."

I pressed my lips to his for an eternity, never wanting to part from his lips. My hands rested on his neck while he began to unlace the back of my dress, taking his sweet time as he did so. I slowly sat myself on the bed, feeling his fingers weave through the lacing and trail down my back. I held onto him fervently as he pulled away from my lips.

"It's alright, love."

Shay had a warm smile on his face as he slowly took off his coat and tossed it by the bed. He kept undressing until he was in nothing but his undergarments. I closed my eyes for a moment while I took off my dress and everything beneath it. Shay finally managed to take off his pants once I fully undressed.

Now that were both in the nude, I had a sudden feeling of…inadequacy. I know my body is not perfect, but I knew he was experienced enough to where he had seen better than me. I averted his eye contact and crossed my arms over my chest and stomach. I felt my eyes start to tear up and I started to whimper.

I felt his hands take mine and unwrap my arms from my naked body.

"S-Shay….I-I'm scared."

His hands shifted from my hands to my face and neck. "Why…?"

"You have seen other women before me. You've seen my body before. My body isn't…perfect, Shay."

"I don't care about other women. I'm not with them. I'm with you."

"But my…my body, and my scars-"

"It matters not to me. You don't have to be afraid…not anymore, because I love you for who you are, just the way you are."

My eyes couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I embraced him and pressed my lips to him more forcefully this time, letting one of my hands trail down his bare back. Shay had one hand on my neck, holding me in place as we kissed while the other hand rubbed my back.

Shay's kissing slowed almost to a crawl as he took one of his hands and trailed it across my shoulder, down my arm and across my chest. His hand finally found my ample breast and he gave it a gentle squeeze. I let out a moan as he began to massage and squeeze more vigorously. It was as if my nerves were being stimulated by static, sudden but subtle jolts pulsed through my body as his kissing grew more passionate.

He laid me down on the bed, with his other hand stopping at my lower back and hip. His hand on my breast moved back up to my face.

I heard the bed creak as he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I want to make this first time special…but my main priority is you. I will only do what you're comfortable with me trying."

"Okay…" My voice and breath shuddered. "D-Do what y-you did before…at the hot springs."

He just nodded and shifted his body from straddling me to laying on my left side with his chiseled bodice facing me.

"Close your eyes," he said in a gentle tone.

I obeyed and sat silently. His hand slowly traveled from the small of my back to my hip then to my navel as he slowly ran his fingers across it and working them down to my inner thighs. I felt my legs tense up slightly and all he said was a gentle shush and trailed his fingers along my thighs, brushing past my lipped area, taking it slow, getting my body used to this new sensation.

He gently ran his fingers over the fleshy lips and used more of his hand to caress there. Then it hit me; he slipped two fingers past the lips to the little bud of flesh and began to rub it. It hit me all at once. It felt like all my nerves jolted as I let out a soft moan. He kept it slow, his brown eyes never leaving my face. I felt my breathing hasten and my heart start to race.

"Aaahh…Oh, my God."

"Elizabythe…?"

"Don't stop, Shay. Please…aahh, keep going."

"I'm just gettin' 'ya warmed up, lass."

Shay leaned in, kissed me and began to rub and caress more vigorously as my louder moaning and labored breathing made him smirk confidently. The faster he went, the more intense my orgasm was and he kept the pace steady. I felt my entire body lock up, my hands gripping my pillow and his shoulder firmly. I felt my body start to tremble and shake. My moans were turning into cries as my back slowly began to arch.

He slowed for a moment, allowing me to finally catch my breath before he slipped his two fingers inside of me. I could feel him do light brush strokes and then go in and out, revitalizing my body with a more intense orgasm. I couldn't find my voice; all that came out was shallow, labored breathing.

Then suddenly, my orgasm diminished once more as I opened my eyes and saw him kneel at the foot of the bed and bring my body to the edge of it. He gently spread my legs wider so that he could place his head near my fleshy lips.

"This will feel a little different now…."

"What are you going to do to me?" I heard my voice shudder again.

"What I have been doing," He mumbled. "But not with my hands."

"What do you mean?"

He shot me a sexy smile and moistened his lips with his tongue. Then it dawned on me. "Shay, be careful."

"I will…just try to stay still for me, okay?"

"I'll…try."

He stayed true to his word and trailed the tip of his tongue across the pair of fleshy lip, going up, down and around them before brushing his lips upon them. Then I felt his fingers spread the lips apart and his tongue caressed and brushed my clit, It was a gentler orgasm than last time, circling around the little, red bud with his tongue, brushing over it and suckling it between intensity of this stimulation made my back arch and my thighs tense up, Shay moaned and kept my legs from closing in. He eventually used a couple fingers and slipped them inside me while he licked me down there.

"Shay, ohh…oh, my God. Don't. Stop…."

After licking around the bud one last time, he sucked vigorously on it, jolting every single nerve in my body, making me cry out and gasp for breath.

As I was trying to slow my breathing, Shay got up and straddled my hips again. He had one hand on my waist and the other hand cupped behind my neck, holding me up. I gritted my teeth as my shaking subsided.

"Elizabythe, you're shivering…."

"Don't worry about me…" I gasped. "It'll be okay."

Shay hovered over me, holding me by my neck and waist. I looked over his entire body until I felt myself staring at his erection. I tried averting my eyes to his muscular chest, my eyes went back to his member again.

Shay noticed this immediately…."Touch it…"

"Are you sure?"

"Elizabythe….It's okay."

"Mmm-hmm."

I placed my hands on his chest and I slid them down to his navel. Then, I wrapped my fingers around his member and brushed my fingers up and down and then used my whole hand to stroke it. I kept my pace steady like he did with me and I heard him take a deep breath.

I saw him close his eyes as my stimulation affected his entire body. His thighs tensed up, his erection throbbed rhythmically, his breathing got faster and his abdomen began to spasm.

I thought I was hurting him, but gladly I wasn't.

"Aw, that feels good, lass….Don't stop."

I alternated my hands, went at a faster and rubbed him more vigorously like he did with me and I felt his grip on my neck and hip tighten suddenly.

I let out a gritted moan and Shay snapped out of it for a moment.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Elizabythe."

"It's not your fault, Shay."

He grinned and chuckled at me. "I guess not."

I decided to try something on him…but I had to take charge, so to speak.

"On your back, Shay."

He nodded. "Oh, yes, ma'am."

I giggled at his formal reply and straddled his thighs.

I began to suckle and lick his manhood at a moderate pace, alternating my speed and licking pattern from around the head to up and down his shaft. Needless to say, I was making him orgasm just as hard as he made me orgasm. But I was busy warming him up for what was about to come next.

Before I could finish, he grabbed a hold of my hips and flipped me over so that he could straddle me. This foreplay has all led up to this.

"I'm ready, Elizabythe."

"I'm ready for you, Shay."

"Take a deep breath."

He slowly brushed his member's head across and over my lips, stimulating the entrance before finally penetrating and going inside me. Good thing I took a deep breath. The stimulation from Shay entering me made my body tremble again. He went back and forth slowly until my body settled on its own.

"Does that feel good, lass?"

"Shay…d-don't stop."

"I don't plan to, Miss Freya."

As I shot my eyes open to give him a playful glare, he took a hold of my hips and picked up the pace, bucking faster and more forcefully. My hands on his neck and back gripped him hard as my nails dug into his tender skin.

His hands shifted and held both my breasts as he picked up the pace even more, stimulating us both until our breathing matched each other's.

"Shay, I'm coming close…"

"I am, too, love…just hang in there."

Shay was going so fast now that we heard rhythmic clapping of his thighs against my bare body. Shay's breathing was getting faster than mine and his moaning hastened….until suddenly, he pulled out and stopped abruptly, finishing himself off until he climaxed. Then Shay was finally able to catch his breath for good as he let his tired body plop next to me.

I felt like my body was weighed down with sandbags. I couldn't move my legs or arms. My heart was racing a mile a minute. It was difficult for me to take a deep breath. Shay was just trying to get his breathing back to normal.

As I looked over at him, his body was shiny and damp from his sweat.

"That…was…amazing…"

"I…aim…to please, lass."

"You feeling alright, Shay?" I turned my body and rested my hand on his chest and wiped his sweat with a cloth.

"I'll be okay….Just need to rest for a bit."

"Me, too." I planted a kiss on his lips and snuggled his right side, listening to his somewhat erratic heartbeat.

After a few moments went by, I couldn't help but wonder why he stopped so suddenly. Was he in pain? Was it from exhaustion?

"Shay…why did you stop?"

"I had to….I stopped, because of you."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all, love, I…I didn't want to spill my seed inside of you….Not yet, at least." He didn't want to impregnate me…that's why he stopped himself….

"Thank you, Shay….for your hesitation…and discretion."

"Of course."

"Has it ever crossed your mind?…Marrying someone you love? Having a future? A wife and kids of your own?"

"Mmmm, no, not really."

"Oh…I see…."

"What's wrong, love?"

"My Father said that after I became a Templar, he wanted me to find someone as wonderful as his wife….he saw a future for me. He wanted me to find happiness for myself. Getting married, settling down, having a husband and…eventually raising a few kids together, like how he did with me, Hunter and Sera…."

"I like the sound of that." Shay said, smiling at me.

"Y-you do? You think you could be happy here…with me?"

"I already am, lass."

".…I love you so much, Shay Patrick Cormac."

"And I love you, Elizabythe Annabell Freya." Shay said as his passionate kiss we shared was enough to help put my fears and uncertainties to bed and fall asleep in his arms.


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A/N: There is a moderate amount of smut in the middle of this chapter.

Ready for round two? Lol ;-)

Third-Person Omniscient POV

Shay and Elizabythe were sound asleep in her bed. Artemis took shelter in the barn just as a windy rainstorm set in. As the tempest raged on, the homestead stood with fortitude as the rain came down harder and colder, eventually causing small bits of ice to fall. New York got some snow, some hail on occasion. The hail hit the windows rapidly like a snare drum, causing Shay to snap his eyes open and glance at the window.

"Ah, it's just hail." Shay sighed, slowly getting out of bed and walking quietly to the side window.

A flash of lightning in the distance was followed by loud, rumbling thunder, sounding more like a stampede of horses on soft dirt.

"It's really comin' down hard out there." Shay said softly.

His grogginess was soon shook off when he heard Elizabythe moan softly, but it wasn't the mere moan that alerted him. She was still asleep, but she sounded as if she were in pain. The moans became more frequent, more pained. Then, she began to snap her head back and forth and grip the sheets strongly.

Shay slowly walked over to her bed until a crash of thunder jolted him. But Elizabythe did not wake up. Shay breathed a sigh of relief and made it to her bed silently. Suddenly, she went limp for a split second and let out a sharp scream, which was enough to startle the concerned Templar.

"Elizabythe…." Shay mumbled.

What happened then seemed to scare Shay even more than her tossing and turning. She said his name in her sleep.

"Sha….Shay?! Mmm-mm…Shay…Help!"

"Elizabythe?" Shay finally spoke up. No sign of waking.

"Aaah!" She yelped. "Shay!…Help! Shay! Shay! NO! Please, NO!"

Shay straddled her hips to restrain her lower body and held down her arms by her elbows. He had to wake her now, Elizabythe was starting to shed tears.

"Elizabythe! Elizabythe, WAKE UP! ELIZABYTHE!" He yelled at her, shaking her torso until her eyes finally opened.

"Shay…! SHAY!" She gasped and her sapphire orbs met with Shay's bright, brown eyes. "Aaahh, oh my God…."

"It's alright, my love. It's alright. I'm here…."

Elizabythe took a few moments to catch her breath while Shay got off of her and laid at her side, holding her around her waist and back of her neck. She began to tremble when she heard the hail, rain and thunder from outside. She blinked her eyes a bit while wiping the tears from her cheeks.

When it finally dawned on her what her nightmare was about, she grimaced and started to cry even more, burying her face into Shay's broad chest as he gave her a tight hug.

"Elizabythe? What's wrong?"

"Bad dream….Very, very bad dream."

"What happened…?"

"I don't know, Shay," she whimpered. "It was all a blur….I saw myself, but I-I was dead. You were screaming, crying over my dead body….we were both older, much older. Looked like my stomach was swollen slightly, I don't know."

"You were pregnant in your nightmare?!" Shay was taken aback.

"I don't know for sure, but it looked like it, but that was after I saw….my Father's ship, the Siren's Wrath. It was wrecked….I saw myself crying and yelling, you were restraining me….then it was a blur again, and I saw my house up in flames. My house was burned down?! What does this all mean?!"

"Elizabythe, it's alright, lass….It was a nightmare. It's not real. You're here now. With me. Your guardians are in town with Hunter and Sera. Your family's safe and sound."

Elizabythe threw her arms around Shay and gripped tightly, slowing her breathing before letting go of him. "Shay, I-I'm scared. For you, for us. My family….What if the dream is real? What if something happens to them? Shay…? What if something happens to you? What if they come after you? What if the Assassins come to hunt me down? They'll come after you because you've left the Assassin Brotherhood. They'll be comin' after me soon. The Apple powers the Precursor Sites. It's just another source of power for them to seek out. They'll tear me down and everyone close to me….Geoff, Dorothea, William, Anton, Gideon…Sera and Hunter, too…..Shay, I cannot lose them. I am all my brother and sister have left. And you, Shay….You mean the world to me. I won't lose my brother and sister. And I won't lose you, too. Not to them….."

Elizabythe had burst into a river of tears as she vented her fears to Shay Cormac. She couldn't get the images of her flaming house out of her mind, or the visions of Shay holding her dead body.

Shay held her hand tightly and wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"Elizabythe…."

His soft, warm voice was enough for her to lift her head up to meet his brown eyes. "Shay, I…I don't want to die…I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me, lass. And I won't lose you, Elizabythe."

".…Y-you promise…?" Shay heard her brittle voice break from her sobs.

Shay held her left hand and placed it on his bare chest to feel his heartbeat. He then held her other hand snug and firmly.

"You feel this?" Shay asked.

Elizabythe nodded.

"My heart belongs to you now."

She nodded again.

Shay leaned in and pressed his lips to hers and rested his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. "I promise…I will never let you go."

As Shay and Elizabythe shared an embrace and a passionate kiss, Shay leaned over her lean bodice and wrapped all of his arms around her. As her breathing got more labored, he pulled her waist towards him and pressed it against him. He shifted his weight back to her side and held her close.

Elizabythe's POV

As Shay wrapped me in a passionate kiss, barely letting me come up for air, I felt him hold my waist close to his body and I felt something push back. I put my hands on his chest, finally pushing him back enough for me to catch my breath. I then realize it's his manhood that was bulging and pushing against me and I let out a playful giggle.

"You ready to go again, Shay?" I asked him, smirking.

"No need for you to ask me."

"Freedom to choose is the only freedom a person has."

"Wise words." Shay commented. "Who told ya that?'

"My Father." I mumbled.

As I began to run my hands and fingers down his torso, past his pecs and abs, I slipped my fingers past his fly and stroked his member slowly.

"Elizabythe…?" Shay moaned.

"Mm-hmm?"

"Take them off for me?"

I got ahold of the rim of his pants and pulled them down below his hips and past his legs and tossed them aside. "Now, where were we?"

I resumed stroking him off, reaching with my other hand to gently rub his other private parts. Suddenly, I saw Shay's temple flex. Was he gritting his teeth? It looked like he was holding back from being vocal with me….

"Don't hold back, Shay…I want to hear you…."

I stroked and rubbed his member faster until I heard him grunt and inhale sharply before finally moaning for me. Just before I made him peak, he grabbed both my wrists. Not rough or forcefully, just enough to make me stop.

"Shay...you alright?"

"Get on top of me. I want you to ride me."

"Oh. Uh, okay."

I knew what he wanted me to do. I saw it a few times in a brothel. Heard from Sera it takes some of the load off the man, so the woman can go at her own pace. Shay was still tired from round one, time for me to take over for round two for us.

I gently pushed Shay's shoulders as he laid flat on his side of my bed, smiling at me. I took a deep breath and straddled his hips, trying to avoid staring at his erection. I didn't think Sera was right, but she was; Irishmen were both long and thick….Ugh, sounds horrible when I say it.

I reached underneath my body and felt for Shay until I got ahold of him and moved his member forward. Then, I felt him penetrate me and a sudden rush of electricity and euphoria made Shay and I moan and orgasm together.

"Are you ready, Shay?"

"I am, love."

As I rested some of my weight on his shoulders, I rocked back and forth, focusing on Shay's orgasmic face as he tried to stifle his screams and moans.

"I want to hear you, Shay…." I moved my lower body faster over his member, making him call my name in a moan.

"Aaaahh, oh, God, Elizabythe. Mmmm…"

As I engulfed him in a hot and passionate kiss, my orgasm was so strong it made me slow down and almost stop. Shay grabbed my waist and lifted his lower body up and down, taking over for me until I could calm down enough to take the lead again. As I rocked my body forward and back, Shay kept his grip on my waist and hips firm.

"I'm…almost…there…Elizabythe…"

"Me, too, Shay…just let me know when to stop."

I knew with his intense orgasm he couldn't say much, so I watched his face as well as feel his body against mine for any sudden change. I went as fast as I could, speeding up my rhythmic grinding as Shay's moans became more frequent and louder.

"Come for me, Shay….we're almost there…."

Just as I climaxed, he squeezed my waist as tight as he could and I quickly got off of him just as he made himself peak.

The intimate and pleasurable ordeal left me breathless and left Shay and I sweating up a storm, so I patted myself down and helped Shay wipe off his sweat from his face, torso and private area. As I started to snuggle into Shay's muscular chest, I heard a crash of thunder from the storm outside and flinched, curling up my body hastily.

Shay lifted my head up for me to look at him.

"It's okay, my love….I'm here. I'll always be right here…."

After he kissed me goodnight, listening to his steady and slow heartbeat helped me calm down and drift off to sleep in his arms once again…..


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Third Person Omniscient POV

Artemis swooped in from the clear skies and perched on the balcony railing by Elizabythe's window. He had a parchment for her, but, being without hands, he couldn't open the window. So the frustrated eagle screeched and tapped frantically on the glass with its beak.

Elizabythe groaned, startled from her sleep, and sat upright in bed just as Shay was waking up. "Artie? What's she doing here? Shay! Get up, quickly!"

She tossed the blankets off them and jumped out of bed.

"Wha-? What's wrong, love?" Shay managed a tired mumble.

"It's Artemis."

As Elizabythe opened the window inward, the panicked eagle came flocking in and landed on the bed, jolting Shay to his senses.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy, lassie. You're alright." Shay hushed and calmed Artie long enough for Elizabythe to open the cylindrical leather parchment holder from the bird's harness that wrapped around its back and chest.

"A message…from the Colonel." Ellie quickly pulled the thin ribbon and opened the scroll.

Dear Elizabythe Freya,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have enclosed at the bottom of this parchment the coordinates as to where your Father's shipwreck is located. I know that you are currently searching for your Father's Piece of Eden. The Grandmaster tasked me with finding it and seeing that it reaches you safely, which I regret to say that I have failed to complete. I searched all but the entire ship. Your Father's documents and work I have left for you to scour and read for yourself. I pray that you have better luck finding it and recovering it before the Assassins do.

Yours Truly,

Colonel George Monro

Elizabythe then read the bottom of the page and recognized the coordinates. Shay's eyes widened at the sight of it as well.

"I know where this is," Shay said, pointing at the paper.

"I do, too. It's not too far from…From where you found me. Shay, go and find Geoffrey and the others. Let them know we'll be headed out for the day. We should be back before nightfall."

"Of course."

Before Shay could pick up his coat and weapons, Elizabythe wrapped him in a long, endearing morning kiss.

With a smug smirk, Shay chuckled. "What's all this about?"

"Merry Christmas, Shay Cormac." She said seductively, slipping a small box into his free hand. He parted slightly to hold the wrapped gift box in his fingers and untied the bow she made before taking the lid off.

It was a necklace fashioned from a pair of leather strips that had her Freya family crest strung through it. It was clad in silver with the mermaid in gold holding a small half-pearl with a light blue hue.

"This is your family's crest?" Shay asked.

"Yes, it is." Elizabythe nodded slightly. "I couldn't find anything to get you from the marketplace, so I made this…for you."

Shay watched as Elizabythe tied the necklace around his neck. "You are a part of this family now. As long as you wear this, I'll always be with you."

Shay just stood silent and speechless. Elizabythe briefly caressed his cheek

"T-Thank you."

As he descended the staircase, Elizabythe walked to her wardrobe and pulled a set of clothes from it. She breathed a big sigh and looked back at the stairs. "Merry Christmas, Father…." Then she stared at her family crest necklace and kissed the mermaid pendant.


	17. Author's Note! Thank You! -BA

To All My Readers, a HUGE thank you for taking the time to read my two Assassin's Creed fanfics for Shay Cormac and Edward Kenway. Kenway's is relatively new, but I thought I would take the time to say thanks and pause my writing to give you all time to catch up on all the chapters.

Also going through a stressful time right now, so I got other things to handle on my own.

Fave my stories and follow them if you will and please leave a review at the bottom of this chapter and let me know what you think of my fanfic so far. Also let me know of any suggestions or future chapter ideas or what improvements I could make.

Thank You!

Bryanna


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